Vanpool
Vanpooling: Save Time, Save Money
Ridesharing is a growing trend in both the U.S. and the San Francisco Bay Area which can help you:
- Save time by using Express Lanes and HOV lanes
- Save money on gas and parking
- Reduce wear and tear on your personal vehicle, and
- Work, read or nap on the way to work
Joining a Vanpool
If you join a vanpool, 511 Contra Costa will pay half your costs for the first three months. To qualify, your 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.
Current Vanpool Riders: Apply Now »
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.
Starting a New Vanpool
It’s easier than you think. No special driver’s license is required, and 511 Contra Costa will help you lease a van and recruit passengers.
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 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.
Let Us Help
For assistance with starting a vanpool, filling empty seats, financial incentives, or available pre-tax benefits for vanpooling, call (925) 973-2655 or email damaral@511contracosta.org.
Additional Vanpool Incentives Provided by 511 SF Bay
- 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.
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.
Vanpool News
- Green Commute Contest: Win a $20 BART Ticket - Jul 19, 2019
- 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
