Difference between revisions of "California Vanpool Authority"
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Revision as of 17:37, 28 February 2012
The California Vanpool Authority (also known as CalVans) is a Joint Powers Authority with member agencies throughout Central California. CalVans original emerged as a program of the Kings Area Rural Transit system to fill a gap created when Caltrans ceased operating vanpools to state facilities. Since 2001, CalVans has operated vanpool service, beginning with a single van serving county employees and expanding to almost 400 routes serving 23 counties statewide. The program (now called CalVans) has been able to expand transit service to residents of low population density areas, connecting workers to jobs in ways that fixed-route transit systems could not.
The Authority is sponsored by the Kings County Area Public Transit Agency.
Service model
CalVans receives bulk discounts on vans. Find leasee/operator who can collect money from passengers and administer the vanpool.
Having a leasee/operator who is responsible for making lease payments, acquiring new passengers, and managing day-to-day operations reduces labor costs that might be incurred by a centrally-administered for profit vanpool program.
Funding
The Kings County Area Public Transit Authority Board originally decided to pursue vanpools only if they could achieve 100% cost recovery. A Caltrans grant program that helped make this possible in early years.
The program has been financially self-sustaining from the day it began, according to Hughes.
Many of the vanpool passengers are state employees who take advantage vanpool subsidies.
Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC)
Small Transit Intensive Cities (STIC)
Access
According to Hughes, CalVans model allows it to accept leasee/operators who would be declined by for-profit vanpool companies due to poor credit. Because of this, he sees the service as providing a lifeline to individuals who would not otherwise be able to access jobs. Additionally, Hughes said that a leasee who looses a job or is unable to maintain payments can return a van if needed because the van can be reassigned.
Notes
Portions of the content appearing on this page are based on an interview between Juan Matute and Ron Hughes on September 9, 2011.