Vanpools

DART RideShare assists commuters in organizing groups, providing vans and maintaining vanpools.

This dependable means of getting to and from work is the preferred way to commute for hundreds of area residents, and their good fortune can be the same for you. Currently, there are many vanpools serving many areas, and additional vanpools are constantly being started.

What is Vanpooling?

  • Vanpooling is a carpool taken one step further. Five to 15 commuters ride together to and from work in a fully equipped passenger van.
  • Vanpool members live within a few miles of one another, work in the same general area, and have similar work hours.
  • Vanpool members meet at a central location, set their route and time schedule and pay one low monthly fare.
  • Vanpooling offers a convenient, reliable, economical and less stressful alternative to driving alone to work. RideSharers help to reduce traffic delays and congestion, as well as help keep the air clean and reduce pollution in the environment.

Save More than Just Money

Commuters save thousands of dollars a year by vanpooling. They cut their gasoline, insurance, parking and maintenance costs in more than half. But vanpooling offers more:

  • Vanpooling also saves time by putting it back in the commuter's day. Vanpoolers catch up on work, read the paper, chat, sleep or just relax during their commute.
  • Vanpoolers also experience less stress and frustration because they do not have to fight rush hour traffic, congestion, construction and delays by themselves.
  • Plus, with the environment being an important issue in the world today, tons of hazardous emissions can be eliminated by sharing rides to and from work. By vanpooling, commuters play a direct role in cleaning the air we breathe.

Guaranteed Ride Home

There's no worry about missing your ride home when you're in a vanpool. If you participate in a vanpool and have an emergency at work, DART RideShare will arrange for alternative transportation home as many as three times per year.

Everyone into the Pool

Each vanpool can accommodate one volunteer driver and as many as 14 passengers. Each passenger pays one low monthly fare based on number of passengers and total roundtrip mileage of the vanpool.

In exchange for driving the van, this commuter does not pay a monthly fare and has personal use of the van. The driver is responsible for maintaining the van and seeing that the operation of the vanpool runs smoothly.

If you would like to review the RideShare contract, please see the attached pdf file. RideShare Contract

DART also has vans with wheelchair lifts that are fully accessible and available upon request, for customers withmobility devices looking to join an existing RideShare vanpool.

Monthly Vanpool Fare
FARES EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 2011

 

Daily Round Trip
Van Miles

 Minimum 4
Passengers*		  5-6
Pass*		 7-8
Pass* 		 9-10
Pass*		 11-14
Pass*
1 - 30 Miles $82 $82 $82 $82 $82
31 - 40 Miles $94 $94 $87 $85 $82
41 - 50 Miles $108 $108 $101 $92 $83
51 - 60 Miles $128 $128 $114 $95 $86
61 - 70 Miles --- $137 $120 $100 $87
71 - 80 Miles --- $143 $125 $104 $90
81 - 90 Miles --- $159 $129 $108 $91
91 - 100 Miles --- $174 $134 $111 $98
101 - 110 Miles --- $193 $149 $120 $107
111 - 120 Miles --- $209 $161 $136 $112
121 - 130 Miles --- $226 $172 $145 $119
131 - 140 Miles --- $242 $185 $153 $128
141 - 150 Miles --- $256 $196 $161 $135
151 - 160 Miles  --- $307 $230 $184  $153
161 - 170 Miles  --- $327 $245 $196  $163
171 - 180 Miles  --- $347 $260 $208  $174
181 - 190 Miles  --- $367 $276 $220 $184 
191 - 200 Miles  --- $388 $291 $233 $194 
*The van driver is excluded from this passenger/van count.
Effective: October 1, 2011

 

Monthly Vanpool Fares
FARES EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2013

Daily Round Trip Van Miles 4 Passengers* 5-6 Passengers* 7-8 Passengers* 9-10 Passengers* 11-14 Passengers*
1-30 Miles $84 $84 $84 $84 $84
31-40 Miles $96 $96 $89 $87 $84
41-50 Miles $110 $110 $103 $94 $85
51-60 Miles $131 $131 $116 $97 $88
61-70 Miles - - -  $140 $122 $102 $89
71-80 Miles - - - $146 $128 $106 $92
81-90 Miles - - -  $162 $132 $110 $93
91-100 Miles - - - $177 $137 $113 $100
101-110 Miles - - -  $197 $152 $122 $109
111-120 Miles - - - $213 $164 $139 $114
121-130 Miles - - -  $231 $175 $148 $121
131-140 Miles - - - $247 $189 $156 $131
141-150 Miles - - - $261 $200 $164 $138
151-160 Miles - - - $313 $235 $188 $156
161-170 Miles - - - $334 $250 $200 $166
171-180 Miles - - - $354 $265 $212 $177
181-190 Miles - - - $374 $282 $224 $188
191-200 Miles - - - $396 $297 $238 $198

* The van driver is exluded from this passenger count. Effective July 1, 2013

 

RideShare Daily Rides

If you need a one-time ride, or an occasional ride into or home from Des Moines, please give RideShare a call at 515.288.RIDE. RideShare offers daily rides, on a space available basis, at a rate of $25 per round-trip.

Here's How

Getting into a vanpool is as simple as calling DART RideShare. Give vanpooling a try, call and ask about a FREE TRIAL RIDE coupon. If you choose to join a vanpool, you are only obligated for three month's commitment at a time.

Fill out the ridematching service registration or call us at 515.288.RIDE (7433).

Flyer for recruiting new riders

If you are a driver of a current vanpool, attached is a flyer to assit in recruiting new riders. 
Flyer 2010