Commuter Van option rolling into Gorge; Ensure employees make it to the job
The Dalles, Ore., Jan 9, 2024 - Ever get this phone call?
“Hey, it’s Emily; I’m having trouble getting my car started this morning. I…uh… I won’t be able to make it in.”
It’s not unusual. And now, as a boss, you’re picking up the pieces. Or if you’re an employee, you missed a day’s wages.
This is especially true when people are living in rural areas such as the Gorge and are commuting 15 or 20 miles each way to work.
But what if there was a way of ensuring employees could make it safely to work, on time, and ready to contribute?
That’d be pretty sweet.
Well, it’s happening in The Gorge as Commute Options is rolling out Vanpool. It’s aimed at 5 to 15 employees that are commuting about 20 plus miles in a single direction, said Kim Curley.
The vanpool must either end or begin in Hood River County to be eligible. For example, a vanpool could start in Hood River and end in The Dalles or vice versa. Or it could pick up riders in Parkdale for a commute to a Hood River business.
Curley is a great resource for getting an economical Vanpool on the road. She is the Community Engagement Coordinator at Commute Options in Bend that can tap into the ODOT funds that provide employers subsidies to lease commuter vans.
Kim Curley
“This is a great way to use transit vans when a transit bus does not run, which is in a lot of places in rural areas,” Curley said. “We have 30 busses running in Bend and they take people to resorts, bullet factories. Even the Bend-La Pine School district has several vans going because the district extends to La Pine.
How It Works
Essentially an employer can call Curley and talk through the specifics, and if it meets the criteria, she can tap into a $500 subsidy that an employer can use to lower the cost of a leased van, that comes with insurance, roadside assistance and an easy-to-discontinue, month-to-month contract.
Columbia Area Transit or CAT is also using ODOT dollars to buy down the van leases to make the cost pencil for employers.
Curley said overall lease costs can run as low as $1,100 to $1,400 per month - so the cost to the employer is around $600 to $900 per month with the subsidy - that could be as low as $100 per employee per month.
Pretty cheap for reliable help, especially now when it is so difficult to get good workers.
Need a Driver
Curley said the program works on volunteer drivers - an employee who is 25 years or older with a US Drivers License and a “fairly clean” driving record.
Where Does The Money Come From?
The Oregon Department of Transportation subsidy for Vanpool comes from the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund, which is derived from payroll taxes. Essentially, employee taxes are being poured back into ensuring employees can get to work. The money was appropriated in 2017.
Penny saved is a Penny earned
Curley said studies have shown that people live in rural areas to reduce their housing costs, but for every $1 saved on housing, residents, on average put 77 cents into transportation to get to work.
A 20-mile commute could spur the purchase of a used vehicle and costly repair bills, and the employee is still missing a reliable way to get to work to earn a paycheck. Vanpool intends to correct that situation while also cutting back on traffic and pollution.
“I’ve been reaching out to Cardinal Glass and Providence Hospital staff,” Curley said, “as Commute Options is rolling out the Vanpool program in Hood River County.”
“We can support seasonal vans,” she added, noting they had talked with Duckwall Fruit in Hood River. “We’d like to have year-round employees too.”
Click here to learn more about Vanpool
Kim Curley, Community Engagement Coordinator at Commute Options, is at (541) 408-6111.
For individuals seeking rides right away, check the Get There Oregon rideboard here.
More About Commute Options
Commute Options is a nonprofit operating out of Bend, Ore., and was established in 1990 with the following a mission: We envision communities using safe, convenient, and reliable transportation options that result in healthier individuals, a cleaner environment, and a stronger economy.
Most of its services are FREE! Please, check out the links below:
Get There Oregon is the ODOT sponsored (free to use) ridematching platform. It's available to anyone who lives or works in Oregon and is 18+. You can ask for or offer a ride on the Rideboard feature.
Get There Rewards is the year-round incentive program where employees earn a $20 gift card for logging 45 trips to and from work on Get There Oregon. (Current partners are CGCC, MCMC, and MCEDD in the gorge!)
Get There Challenge is every October! ODOT hosts this statewide competition to log all transportation options trips you make during the first two weeks of October each year. Great prizes and this is a free event for all Get There registered users. Every trip counts!
Oregon Friendly Driver is a 75-minute online course to help improve roadway safety in your community. It teaches drivers how to be more friendly when people walking and biking are present.
