MDOT and MichiVan launch 300th vanpool in Michigan
Contact:
Janet Foran 517-335-7176
Agency:
Transportation
October 28, 2008 -- A milestone in vanpool history was reached today when the 300th commuter van was delivered to employees at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit. MichiVan, the statewide vanpool program operated by VPSI, Inc. of Troy, is managed through a contract with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The program started in 1980.
"One of the best values for your money is riding in a vanpool," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "Vanpooling with MichiVan is a cost-effective alternative for commuters who enjoy the convenience of sharing a ride to work. The 2,224 people served by commuter vans each day means there are fewer vehicles on Michigan roads. This is good for the environment - - and good for the pocketbook."
"As a Michigan-based company and the nation's largest vanpool provider, we are extremely proud to work with MDOT to provide vanpool services for commuters through the MichiVan program," said Jon Martz, vice president of government relations, VPSI, Inc. "Vanpooling is not only the safest mode of public transportation, but it also reduces commuting costs for employees, limits congestion on our roads, and positively impacts our environment."
Vanpooling saves approximately 152,000 gallons of fuel, reduces about 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and takes 40,430 vehicles off the road each month in Michigan.
The typical vanpooler has at least a 30-minute drive or travels more than 10 miles one-way to work.
A vanpool is a group of five to 15 people who commute on a regular basis; one person volunteers to be the driver/coordinator of the vanpool and normally rides free. The passengers pay a low monthly fee and share the cost of fuel. MichiVan typically pays for insurance and repairs to the vehicle.
For more information on the MichiVan Vanpooling Program, visit www.michivan.com or call 1-800-VAN-RIDE (826-7433).
In southeast Michigan, people looking to share the ride have another option. SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, offers a free and easy carpooling program called "MiRideShare" (pronounced My Ride Share) that matches commuters for the daily ride to work. MiRideShare works closely with VPSI to promote carpooling and vanpooling in the region by working with employers and planning events. MiRideShare provides vanpoolers and carpoolers with the Guaranteed Ride Home Program. Through this program, poolers may receive taxi fare or rental car reimbursement in the event a personal or family illness, unscheduled overtime, or unscheduled departure of the carpool or vanpool driver prevents them from leaving work in their carpool or vanpool.
Protect Michigan families: Where Workers Present Drive 45! - A message from MDOT and Michigan's Give 'em a Brake Safety Coalition
Printer Friendly
Text Version
Twitter
Facebook
Yahoo
Google
Digg
reddit
Newsvine
StumbleUpon
Bookmark
Email Page