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Carpools

Apply for the Commute Club Carpool Program

Download an application

Not sure if you are a Commute Club member?

Visit My Commute Club to check your membership status.

Carpooling: a great way to get to and from campus

Save money, reduce wear and tear on your vehicle, reduce pollution, and take the stress out of driving. When you share the driving, you arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to start the day.

Share your commute with at least one other eligible Stanford commuter and you may:

Save money on gas and wear and tear on your vehicle
Receive $300 in Carpool Credit toward the cost of your carpool permit (reducing the cost of an "A" or "C" carpool permit. With more members in your carpool, receive a bigger reduction for your permit or cash back)
Request one free daily parking permit per eligible carpool member each month (not valid in carpool spaces prior to 10 a.m.)
Purchase up to seven additional daily permits per eligible carpool member per month for days you need to drive separately. Refer to our cost comparison table for the potential savings of purchasing daily permits instead of a long-term permit.
Enjoy premium reserved carpool-only parking spaces (reserved until 10 a.m.)

Please view the Carpool Parking Map to see designated parking areas for carpools on campus.

Eligibility

To qualify for a carpool permit, each member of your official carpool must meet all of the eligibility requirements for the Commute Club and must not already have a permit or be receiving Clean Air Cash. Additionally, carpool members must live in areas that would facilitate a reasonable and expected commute pattern that is consistent with the intent of the Commute Club program.

Carpoolers who are not eligible for the Commute Club (such as night- and evening-shift employees or employees at off-campus sites) DO NOT QUALIFY for Stanford carpool permits or Carpool Credit. However, they are welcome to use the Stanford Ridematching Service to find Stanford carpool partners and are welcome to share a ride with Stanford carpools as an unofficial member of the carpool. Commute Club rewards are available to employees at some Welch Road buildings through a pilot program. Questions about eligibility can be directed to commuteclub@stanford.edu.

Please note that membership in the Commute Club and participation in the carpool program is a privilege. Stanford University Parking & Transportation Services reserves the right to deny membership when an individual’s actions are or appear to be inconsistent with the goals of our programs.

Anyone found to be in violation of the Commute Club and/or parking permit policies set forth by Parking & Transportation Services (P&TS) is subject to revocation of transportation incentives and/or parking privileges. Instances of egregious misconduct may result in further administrative, disciplinary, and/or legal action, up to and including termination of employment or expulsion.

Forming your carpool

If you don't already have your carpool partners in mind, we recommend that you sign up with the Stanford Ridematching Service to find potential Stanford carpool partners to share your commute. After you register and provide your departure location and work schedule, you will receive contact information of other Stanford commuters with similar commutes who are interested in carpooling.

If you have questions about the service, or if it does not lead to a match for you, please feel free to contact us at commuteclub@stanford.edu. We may be able to help identify other alternatives available to you, such as transit and/or biking.

How the carpool program works

Once you have two or more eligible carpool members, you may apply for a Stanford carpool permit and become a Commute Club member. For those purchasing an “A” or “C” carpool permit, the cost of the permit will be shared equally among all members of the carpool. At the end of each quarter, each member will receive a Carpool Credit payment. This is how it will work:

Each eligible member of the carpool will pay for his or her own share of the permit cost through either automatic payroll deduction (for benefits-eligible employees only) or recurring debit/charge .
At the end of each academic quarter, each member will receive $12.50 in Carpool Credit for each month of carpool eligibility in that quarter.
The Carpool Credit will be paid to carpool members by payroll deposit (for employees) or bank deposit

Send an email to the Commute Club if you have questions or need assistance.

Applying for a carpool permit

To apply for a carpool permit, download and complete the carpool permit application. Each carpool member must meet the eligibility requirements for the Commute Club, and each member must complete and sign the application.

Once your application is complete, you have several options to submit it:

Bring it to our office at 340 Bonair Siding
Fax it to 650.724.8676
Email it (after scanning the completed application) to commuteclub@stanford.edu
Mail it to 340 Bonair Siding, Stanford, CA 94305-7255 (or MC: 7255)

We will notify you when your permit is ready to be picked up. Mail delivery normally takes 7 to 10 days from the date we receive your application. If you select “pick up,” you can expect to hear from us within 4 to 7 days.

If your carpool changes or ends

If your carpool changes (e.g., one member is on leave) and still has at least two eligible members, you must submit a new carpool application. In most cases, you will be able to continue using your existing permit. If your carpool ends or doesn’t have at least two eligible members, your carpool permit is no longer valid and must be returned.

Notify Parking & Transportation Services whenever there is a change or expected change in your carpool to retain carpool privileges for eligible members and/or to avoid penalties. If you have further questions about carpooling, call us at 650.723.9362 or email us at commuteclub@stanford.edu.

Please note: Fraudulent enrollment in a Stanford carpool is a violation of Stanford's policies. Anyone found to be in violation of the carpool policies set forth by Parking & Transportation Services (P&TS) will immediately forfeit Commute Club privileges and are subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or expulsion.

If your carpool grows

If your carpool is successful and you have several other individuals interested in joining, you may consider starting a vanpool. Read more about starting a vanpool in our Vanpool section.

Carpools and Bay Area bridge tolls

Carpool vehicles are required to have a FasTrak toll tag to receive the carpool discount on any Bay Area toll bridge, and must use a designated carpool lane to qualify for the discount.

In case of an emergency

"But what if my child gets sick or I get sick and I have to leave immediately?"
"But what if my carpool driver unexpectedly leaves without me or becomes unavailable to give me a ride home?"
"But what if my neighbor calls to tell me my house is on fire?"

The answer to these and other issues is Stanford's free Emergency Ride Home program. You are automatically enrolled in the Emergency Ride Home program as a Commute Club carpool member.

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