Vanpool

A vanpool is a formal arrangement between 5 or more commuters to share the ride to work. Vanpools range in size from 5-15 people (from a 7-passenger minivan to a 15-passenger full-size van) and come complete with insurance, maintenance, and roadside assistance. The monthly cost of the vanpool, plus the cost of the fuel, is usually divided between all members of your vanpool, saving you money and keeping stress levels low.

How to Find a Match

Like finding a matching bike, walk, carpool, or transit route, you will first want to start at the Trip Planner. Enter your origin and destination in the trip planning widget and enter your search; alternatively, you can click the vanpool card in the My Commute widget to search using the locations of your saved commute.

After you've reached your trip-search page, scroll down the modes section on the left side and click on "Vanpool". Any vanpools that match your trip will appear here. If you get a match, you can click on one of the results to expand its details, and send a message to the vanpool coordinator.

Troubleshooting

If you are having trouble finding a match, be sure to use a specific destination address. The matching algorithm looks for vanpool stops near your start and destination. By using a specific address, you assure that you are finding quality matches that will appeal to you and other members of the vanpool.

If there are no other vanpools that start where you live, there is a way to search for additional vanpools along your route. By changing your starting location – to a Park and Ride along your route, for example – you may be able to find other vanpool matches. We plan to eventually have vanpool matching based on the entire length of your commute, but until this comes online, we suggest changing your start location manually.

Bikepool

Bikepools are like carpools, but with bikes! Sometimes called Bike Buddies, the goal is to match cyclists with similar routes that may want to ride together. This can be especially helpful for pairing new riders with partners who are veteran bike commuters to help build confidence navigating your city's streets.

Within the bike section of your trip search results you can toggle back and forth between a normal bike route and bikepools. The mode card on the left-hand side will also display an additional group icon if a bikepool is available along your route:

Available bikepools are listed to the right after clicking on the bikepool button. For each listing you can see the details of the trip including preferences and days and times.

Contact a cyclist by clicking on the card for the bikepool you’re interested in to expand the window and review its details, then click ‘Connect’.  Compose your message to the commuter then click send, and your message will be emailed directly to the user. 

Your message to the cyclist will include your name and your email address.  If you would like to include additional contact options, you can add that to your message. Once you and the other user connect, you can work out the details of the trip and be on your way.

You can specify that you are interested in being part of a bikepool for any saved commute on your profile. Just like carpools, once saved, your bikepool preference and any details you added will appear to other eligible commuters that search for commute options in the same area.

Schoolpool

The RideAmigos Schoolpool feature lets parents of students to connect and form transportation networks. This makes it easier for parents and students to reduce their carbon footprint, socialize with their friends and family, and decrease the stress that comes from limited transportation options. Our tool allows for visualization of the households that make up a school to find the best match for each user. Your site administrators may also create carpools, vanpools, or shuttles for parents to view as transportation resources.

Parents have the opportunity to build their transportation community on their own and you're given a special role with unique privileges in order to do so.

Only authorized families can join school networks. Parents are authorized by:

• Auto account creation via roster
• Registering via general web registration to be part of the school network. This process is as follows:
  • During registration you are made aware that there is a separate process to be part of a schoolpool network.
  • If you are already part of a schoolpool and/or looking to join a schoolpool network, information is provided on how to contact the person from whom you can get a special sign-up link, designated for your specific school's network registration.
• The registration form that is used is the same as the normal registration form, but with additional required input fields, if you come from a schoolpool link.
• Schoolpool-only records will be distinguished from other types of records in both reporting and general system use. They will not be mixed with general records for ridematching, leaderboards, gaming, etc…
• If you are also registered on the larger commute system, you will be able to use general items as well such as the Trip Planner, Trip Log, and leaderboards, but your specific schoolpool data will continue to reside separately from the general user information

After being imported or joining a schoolpool, a household Parent may:

• View their matches within their school via the Schoolpool menu item
• Email matched households in order to create carpools, bike-pools, bus-pools
• Download their refrigerator-ready PDF
• Edit their household information
• Copy a link to send to other household members to join and view matches