| Sacramento area commuters who beat high gas prices
by starting new vanpools can also earn up to $2,000 through a new program
sponsored by the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG).
The new vanpools must carry passengers to workplaces
in El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba counties. The offer is
available for as long as funding lasts and is retroactive to March 1.
“At SACOG we believe in vanpooling because it
is a great way to remove cars from the road, improve congestion and help air
quality,” said Nancy Kays, SACOG Rideshare Coordinator.
“If you live more than 20 miles from your job,
vanpooling may be the best way to travel to work and back,” Kays said.
“Sharing the road and perhaps becoming eligible for free or close-in
parking are some of the advantages of vanpooling.”
Each month for six months SACOG will provide a $300
subsidy to eligible vanpools, or a total of $1,800 per vanpool. The primary
vanpool driver is responsible for paying the remaining monthly lease to the
vanpool vendor. At the end of the six-month period, vanpools that are still on
the road will also receive a $200 gas card. The benefit is in effect $333.33
per month for six months.
The program is part of SACOG’s Transportation
Demand Management Program, which encourages the use of alternatives to the
single-occupant automobile, including bicycling, walking and car and
vanpooling.
The vanpools must be newly formed as of March 1,
2004, with a minimum of at least six committed passengers, including one
primary driver. The participants are required to use an authorized vanpool
vendor such as Enterprise or VPSI.
To learn more, please contact Nicole Kimbrough at
916-340-6268 or read the program guidelines at www.sacog.org. Authorized vanpool vendors for
our region are Enterprise Rideshare (1-800-van 4 work, or
www.vanpool.com/index.shtml)
or VPSI (1-800-VAN-RIDE, www.rideone.com).
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