Each group needs at least 2 approved drivers, a maintenance contact, a public contact and a bookkeeper. Other group participants are riders.
All participants must follow Metro's Code of Conduct and share common responsibilities regardless of their specific role.
Your Vanpool community includes various Rideshare Services Representatives (RSRs) to provide support for your group.
Each group needs at least 2 approved drivers but having additional approved drivers is encouraged. More drivers means improves reliability and flexibility to manage absences and scheduling conflicts. All drivers must meet specific criteria and be authorized by Metro to drive a Metro-owned vehicle.
Drivers are responsible for more than just the daily operation of the vehicle. In addition to safely and responsibly transporting riders, Drivers must perform pre-trip inspections, coordinate key and fuel card exchanges, and report fuel use and mileage. Drivers must also be prepared to handle any breakdowns or emergencies.
One person must serve as the bookkeeper but having additional approved bookkeepers as backup is recommended to assist with coverage. The bookkeeper supports the reporting operations for the group, including completing the monthly report on time, collecting expense receipts, and calculating/collecting fares from other group members.
To become a bookkeeper, you must be at least 21 years old and provide proof of stable employment (e.g. be employed by present employer for at least 2 years). All bookkeepers are approved on a 6 month probationary status and must maintain stable employment.
At least one person must serve as the public contact.The public contact is responsible for responding to inquiries from prospective riders through RideshareOnline.com or other recruiting efforts. They can also proactively visit RideshareOnline.com to find matches.
The maintenance contact is responsible for coordinating vehicle maintenance, exchanges, or returns. The maintenance contact may also fill any of the other group roles at the same time.
Detailed responsibilities of the maintenance contact can be found in the Vehicle Maintenance section.
Any group participant not driving a particular trip is a rider. Even if they aren’t fulfilling a specific role such as public contact or bookkeeper, riders can help their group operate smoothly. Riders can provide support to the driver in many situations, such as inspection/maintenance of the vehicle and assisting with handling emergencies or breakdowns.
While safety and improper parking are the most common complaints received by our office, complaints may also be about something occurring during the commute in the vehicle. All complaints are taken seriously and investigated by staff.
For assistance resolving issues within your group, follow our complaint handling procedure.
Vanpool is Metro public transit and participants should abide by Metro’s Code of Conduct and common-sense guidelines to riding in public transit. Vanpool groups have autonomy to set other guidelines for themselves but must still follow the specific requirements of Metro Vanpool.