Current Stanford Vanpools:

Alameda, Berkeley, Manteca, San Francisco, Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley, Tracy and more. View our Current Vanpools listing or our Carpool and Vanpool Listings page.

Incentive programs 

• Vanpools with five or more Commute Club-members can ride for free with a 100 percent vanpool subsidy.
• Plus, eligible vanpool members can apply for Commute Club to receive up to $300 a year in Clean Air Cash.
• Stanford vanpools receive free premium parking on campus.

Forming your vanpool

If you don't already have your five or more vanpool riders in mind, we recommend that you sign up with on our Carpool and Vanpool Listings page to find potential Stanford affiliates 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

Once you have at least five eligible members, apply for a vanpool permit by completing the vanpool permit application. At least five vanpool members must meet the eligibility requirement for the Commute Club, and each member must complete and sign the application.

Once your application is complete, you have several options for submitting it:

• Bring it to our office at 340 Bonair Siding
• Email it (after scanning the completed application) to commuteclub@stanford.edu
• Fax it to 650.724.8676
• 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.

How does vanpooling work?

What is a vanpool?

A commuter vanpool is a group of five or more people who commute to and from work in a comfortable passenger vehicle. Stanford offers a 100-percent subsidy for vanpools with five or more members who are eligible for the Commute Club. 

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 vehicle after-hours!

Benefits for Drivers and Riders:

• Receive a free premium parking permit 
• Receive up to $300 per year in Clean Air Cash (if eligible)
• Receive a full subsidy on the vehicle (if eligible), which includes free insurance and maintenance on the vehicle
• Enjoy reduced or free bridge tolls and express-lane access with FasTrak
• Reduce wear and tear on personal vehicles
• Reduce personal auto insurance premiums based on miles driven each year

Drivers:

• Receive personal use of the vehicle on evenings and weekends
• Pick up and drop off passengers at designated site(s)
• Collect payments from passengers to cover monthly gas and toll expenses
• Fill the gas tank 
• Keep the van clean
• Arrange for free maintenance

Riders:

• Pay for gas and toll expenses
• Arrive at pre-arranged pick-up sites on time
• Give a 30-day notice if leaving the vanpool
• Read, sleep, work, surf on a mobile device, or socialize during the commute
• Enjoy a stress-free commute

In case of an emergency

"What if my child gets sick and I have to leave immediately?"
"What if my vanpool driver has to leave for an emergency?"
"What if my neighbor calls to tell me that my home is on fire?"

The answer to these and other issues is Stanford's free Emergency Ride Home (ERH) program. You are automatically enrolled in ERH when you join the Commute Club.

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.