Carpooling is when two or more people commute to work or other destinations together for all or part of a journey.  It is also known as ridesharing.  Individuals work out their own arrangements such as who drives, how often, schedules, and payment for gas and maintenance.

While comparable to a carpool, a vanpool starts with more people, traveling a schedule and route similar to your own.  Imagine your savings when you can split the costs of commuting with 7 to 15 other people!  Vanpools can be started by employees or by an employer and there are special incentives available for vanpoolers.  Contact the Go Vermont Coordinator to learn more about the turn-key vanpool program.   

Carpooling will help you save money on gas and parking by splitting driving costs among two or more commuters.  You will reduce the wear and tear on your car - fewer oil changes, tire replacements and engine repairs.  It's a great way to meet people while saving the environment.  As a passenger, you will have more time each day you share a ride to read the paper, prepare for a meeting or jsut relax.

Just click on "Get Started" on the right side of the screen and follow the instructions.  If you still have questions contact the Go Vermont Program Coordinator. 

The carpool program is set up so you can share rides with co-workers to and from home, a park and ride location, day care, school, or other location agreed upon by the group.  Carpool members can be neighbors or others going a similar route and schedule - they do not necessarily have to work with you, but might even work in the business next door to your company. Depending on your schedule, you can carpool once a week or every day and share the car round-trip or just on way.

When you register with Go Vermont you will be included in a database of other interested carpoolers. You'll receive a "matchlist' with the names and contact information of those persons who match your commute pattern (home addresses are not included on the matchlists and home numbers may be excluded as well).  Just contact the names on that list and make your carpool arrangments.  Be sure to review the helpful Tips on this web site before you get started. 

We use the data that you enter on your registration to look for commuters as close to your home and destination as possible.  Search options let you decide your flexibility in terms of distance, times and other preferences.  Personal preferences can be added to help you in your search.  These may include but are not limited to: will you share the driving, smoking or non-smoking, type of music, co-ed carpool or not, and special considerations if you have a disablilty. 

It depends on the carpool and the makeup of the riders.  In some carpools, each member takes a turn driving their own vehicle.  In others, some carpoolers prefer to ride and some to drive each day.  There is no hard and fast rule - it is totally dependent upon the individual circumstances of those in your carpool group. 

No problem - you don't have to have a vehicle, or access to one, to participate in a carpooling arrangement.  When you register simply indicate that you want to ride or be a passenger only.  You can join a carpool that doesn't need a driver and pay your share of the gas and parking, if applicable.

Make the initial contact with your carpool match.  Make plans to meet in a neutral location to discuss arrangements.  If you are uncomfortable for any reason, decline the offer to carpool.  See Tips for Carpooling and Vanpooling for more ideas.

Go Vermont provides a Guaranteed Ride Home Card for every registered member of a carpool and vanpool.  The Program provides a reimbursable ride home by bus, taxi cab or rental car when you or a family is sick or other unplanned emergency arises while you are at work.  Contact the Go Vermont Program Coordinator for more information.

Not usually, but it always pays to check the fine print - not all policies are the same.  If in doubt, call your insurance company to confirm your coverage is not affected.