Start or Join a Vanpool
Want a ride from your neighborhood to Stanford? Join a vanpool! They're currently running all over the Bay Area. Want to form your own vanpool? Our profile page can link you with other Stanford commuters from your neighborhood.
Current Stanford Vanpools:
Alameda, Berkeley, Manteca, San Francisco, Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley, Tracy.
What is a vanpool?
A commuter vanpool is a group of seven to fifteen people who ride to and from work each day in a comfortable passenger van. Vanpooling generally costs about the same each month as you now pay for gasoline alone. Arrive at work relaxed, refreshed, and ready for your day. Save wear and tear on your car, too.
You can ride most vanpools on a full-time or occasional basis, whichever fits your schedule. Full-time passengers have reserved seats and ride on a month-to-month basis. Occasional passengers ride on a space-available basis and pay a set fee per trip. And if you're the driver, you get free use of the van after-hours!
Incentive programs reward you for not driving alone.
Vanpool members can apply for Commute Club and qualify to receive up to $300 a year in Clean Air Cash.
Eligible employees may purchase commuter checks with pre-tax dollars via payroll deduction, and may use commuter checks to pay for part of their vanpool expenses! The exact amount saved by each individual will vary.
How does vanpooling work?
Drivers and riders benefit by:
- receiving a free vanpool parking permit (valid only in designated vanpool spaces)
- receiving a preferred parking space
Drivers are responsible for:
- picking up and dropping off passengers at designated site(s)
- collecting monthly payments from passengers to cover monthly expenses
- filling the gas tank (before passengers are picked up)
- keeping the van clean
- arranging for free maintenance
Drivers are rewarded by:
- usually riding free
- receiving personal use of the van on evenings and weekends
- having free insurance and maintenance coverage on the vanpool van
- sustaining less wear and tear on personal automobiles
Riders are responsible for:
- paying on time
- arriving at pre-arranged pick-up sites on time
- giving a 30-day notice if leaving the vanpool
- helping to recruit new passengers for the vanpool
Riders are rewarded by:
- being able to read the paper, sleep, daydream or socialize with new friends during the daily commute
- enjoying a stress-free commute
- potentially reducing personal auto insurance premiums
- sustaining less wear and tear on personal automobiles
- receiving up to $300 in Clean Air Cash
Get on the road. And stay on the road.
Once you're up and running, you'll be assigned consultants who are committed to the smooth operation of your vanpool. They'll help fill your empty seats, coach you through any personal conflicts that may arise, and even advise you on matters of "vanpool etiquette."
Forming your vanpool
If you don't already have your five to fifteen vanpool partners in mind, we recommend that you sign up with on our Rideshare Profile page to find potential Stanford vanpool partners to share your commute.
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.
Applying for a vanpool permit
To apply for a vanpool permit, download and complete the vanpool permit application. Each vanpool 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.
In case of an emergency
"But what if my child gets sick and I have to leave immediately?"
"But what if my vanpool driver has to leave for an emergency?"
"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 ERH when you join the Commute Club. Not eligible for the Commute Club? You can still pre-register for the Emergency Ride Home program if you meet eligibility requirements.
What if I need to run an off-campus errand?
Join the Commute Club, and you're eligible for up to 12 free hourly car rentals a year. If you are a Commute Club Zipcar member, you also receive up to $102 a year in Zipcar credit.