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. 

Hunger Action Month: Businesses breaking out the barrels for Food Drive

File Photo - In 2020, Virginia McKay, a 25-plus year veteran with Windy River Gleaners, was at it again this morning, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2020. Food boxes were prepared for some 950 people in East The Dalles. Cars were lined up past the overpass on Old Highway 30 at 9 a.m.

The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 12, 2023 - September is Hunger Action Month and local businesses are collecting food for the Columbia Gorge Food Bank to help those who are experiencing food scarcity in our communities.

Because no one should be hungry.

“We believe that hunger starves the human spirit and that communities thrive when people have access to healthy, nourishing food. Our services would not be possible without local donations. Food and funds raised locally support local efforts here in the Gorge,” according to the Food Bank website. “Food and funds which come in via drives can support any of our programs and/or partners, without restriction. This allows us to strategically respond to urgent needs. Community support is critical in our ability to serve the community!” 

 Columbia Gorge Food Bank celebrated the completion of their new warehouse, community food center, and learning kitchen located at 3525 Crates Way, in The Dalles, OR on April 13th setting the table for local success.

The new space allows for increased ease in managing the distribution of approximately 2 million pounds of food (annually) to some 6,000 individuals in the region.

View fullsize

But it cannot happen without your help. 

Columbia Gorge Food Bank distributes food in communities throughout Sherman, Wasco and Hood River counties.

Here is a list of locations where food can be donated:

• Bargeway Pub, 1535 Bargeway Rd, The Dalles

• Last Stop Saloon, 209 E 2nd St, The Dalles

• Urness Motors, 505 Cherry Heights Rd, The Dalles

• Cousin’s Restaurant and Saloon, 2114 W 6th St, The Dalles

• The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, 404 W 2nd St, The Dalles

• Fun Country Power Sports, 1318 W 2nd St, The Dalles

Locals can visit these locations to drop off food supplies. 

Wanted foods for donation include the following:

• Peanut butter and other nut butters

• Canned and boxed meals, soup, chili, stew..

• Canned meat, chicken, salmon, tuna

• Beans and peas canned or dried

• Pasta, rice and cereal, whole grains

• Fruits and vegetables

• Shelf-stable milk

• Cooking Oil

• 100% fruit and vegetable juice, canned, plastic or boxed

Food that is collected and distributed through the food bank include: 

• Dufur School Pantry- 802 NE 5th St. Dufur (541)467-2509 Thursday 3-6 p.m.

• Salvation Army- 811 East 2nd St. The Dalles (541) 296-6417 Monday Wednesday Friday 1-3 p.m.

• St. Vincent de Paul Pantry- 505 W. 9th St The Dalles (541)340-1927 Tuesday 1-3 p.m. Thursday 3-5 p.m.

• Windy River Gleaners- 3525 Crates Way The dalles (541)370-2499 Tuesday 9 a.m.- 1 P.m.

• Chinook Campus Pantry- 400 E. Scenic Dr. Bldg. 4, The Dalles (541)506-6013 Wednesday Thursday 2-5 p.m.

• Wahtonka Food Pantry- 3601 W 10th St. The Dalles (541)370-2333 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month, 4-6 p.m.

• Meals on Wheels- 1112 W. 9th St. The Dalles (541) 298-8333 Monday-Friday 12-1:30 p.m.

• Pioneer Potlatch Dufur- St Alphonsus Parish Hall 420 NE 1st St Dufur (541)298-4354 Wednesday 12-1 p.m.

• Pioneer Potlatch/Mosier Community Meals- 501 E 2dn St. Mosier (541)298-4354 Monday and Wednesday 12-1 p.m.

• Lift Raft Pantry- 401 5th St. Maupin (541)973-7814 Thursday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

• Neighbor to Neighbor Panrty- Wamic Community Center 1st and 3rd Thursday 1-4 p.m.

• SDA Hood River- 1090 22nd Street Hood River, Tues: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Tues 9:30-11:30 a.m.

  Businesses interested in doing a food drive can contact Columbia Gorge Food Bank at 541-370-2333.

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