Vanpool
Vanpooling: Save Time, Save Money
Ridesharing is a growing trend in both the US and the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Save time using Express Lanes and HOV lanes
- Save money on gas and parking
- Reduce wear and tear on your personal vehicle
- Work, read or nap on the way to work
Joining a Vanpool
We’ll pay half your costs for the first three months. To qualify, the vanpool must have a Contra Costa County origin or destination, and you cannot have been a member of a vanpool in the last six months or have claimed this benefit previously.
For Current Vanpool Riders: If you recently joined a vanpool, apply for the Vanpool Passenger Incentive.
Find a Vanpool Headed Your Way:
- Vanpooling: Seats Available shows regional vanpool routes with available seats.
- Dial ‘511’ on your phone and say ‘Rideshare’ to receive a free, customized list of vanpools going your way. Also, ask your employer about vanpools.
Commute With Enterprise
The Bay Area Vanpool Program has partnered with Commute With Enterprise to provide an all-inclusive option to make vanpooling easy.
A Commute With Enterprise vanpool comes with a newer model, low-mileage van or SUV, with roadside assistance and maintenance included. The Bay Area Vanpool Program provides a monthly subsidy of up to $350 for Commute With Enterprise vanpools. Click here to view details on the program, or visit the Commute With Enterprise webpage.
Starting a New Vanpool
It’s easier than you think.
No special driver’s license is required, and 511 will help you lease a van, recruit passengers, get discounted parking permits, and access free bridge tolls.
To start a vanpool:
- Register your vanpool with the 511 RideMatch Service
- Find seven passengers (including the driver). 511 SF Bay will help you recruit passengers once you’ve registered your vanpool.
- Complete the vanpool forms on 511 SF Bay’s Start Vanpool page
- Find more tools for vanpool drivers at 511 SF Bay.
Vanpool Lease Rebates up to $2400
Start a new vanpool with a Contra Costa origin or destination and get up to $200 a month towards your lease payment for the first year!‡
‡While program funds last
Earn an Extra $1,000
Drivers who start a new vanpool and keep it on the road for at least one year could be eligible to receive a $1,000 cash bonus.* To apply, contact 511 Contra Costa directly at (925) 973-2650 or email damaral@511contracosta.org to receive a registration form.
* To qualify, the vanpool must have a Contra Costa County origin or destination, and you cannot have been a member of a vanpool in the last six months. You may only participate in this program one time.
Additional Information
For assistance with starting a vanpool, filling empty seats, financial incentives, or the pre-tax benefits for vanpooling, contact damaral@511contracosta.org.
Latest Vanpool News
- Earth Day: Pledge to Green Your Commute for One Day - Apr 21, 2016
- I-580 Express Lanes Now Open - Feb 24, 2016
- Five Reasons Why You Should Change Up Your Commute - Feb 12, 2016
- Transit and Vanpool Commuter Benefits to be Reduced in 2014 - Dec 12, 2013
- Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program Public Workshop - Sep 18, 2013
