NEWSTRACK: Regional van pool for Johnson and Linn County up and running, but interest tepid

A regional van pool was one of a handful of recommendations from the Iowa Department of Transportation's 2014 Iowa Commuter Transportation Study, which examined how people move around Eastern Iowa - and transportation barriers - to work.

Background

The Cedar Rapids-based East Central Iowa Council of Governments began researching options for a van pool service for counties contiguous to Linn and Johnson in early 2016.

The hope was to combat congestion on Interstate 380 before replacing the interchange with Interstate 80, a lengthy and disruptive project that promises to worsen traffic during construction. Employers also had expressed a desire to improve transportation options as a way to expand their labor pool and provide an extra resource for their employees.

What's happened since

The van pool service, CorridorRides, launched Oct. 20 serving Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.

The Council of Governments contracted vRide to operate CorridorRides. The van pool was one of the first recommendations implemented from the 2014 commuter study.

Employees traveling from a similar area can pay a fee ranging from $40 to $90 per month to share a ride to work using a van provided by vRide. The van pool is organized under one main driver, who is responsible for the vehicle, fueling and maintenance.

A survey conducted as part of the study found 56 percent of respondents would use a van pool or carpool for their commute, suggesting the service would be popular.

In Eastern Iowa, the University of Iowa has operated a successful van pool for decades with some 65 vehicles and 650 riders. The DART van pool in Des Moines has operated for 20 years and has nearly 100 vans.

However, interest in CorridorRides has been lukewarm so far.

Only one employer is working with vRide to provide van pool service at this point, said Mary Rump, transportation and regional development director for ECICOG. The Iowa City Veterans Affairs Hospital has one van pool from Cedar Rapids and is in discussions to add additional vans.

'vRide has been working to contact businesses to make them aware of the service and its benefits to employers and employees,” she said.

A grant can subsidize each van pool with up to $400 per month, which reduces the cost for each rider, Rump said. An application for a second grant from the Iowa DOT is pending. That would fund the van pool program another year.

Long-term survival of the program will depend on employer interest, as well as grant funding, Rump said.

A regional express bus, which is a second recommendation from the transportation study, is expected to launch in 2018 with service between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.

l Comments: (319) 339-3177; brian.morelli@thegazette.com