METRO Vanpool

It’s a rideshare service that allows commuters who share similar travel patterns to lease a van on a month-to-month basis so they can ride to and from work together. This is especially helpful for riders who live in areas where METRO bus service isn’t available.

METRO Vanpool operates in eight counties: Harris, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery and Waller.

Because you would save money on gas, tolls, maintenance and other commuting costs. This can add up to thousands of dollars in savings every year.

The van travels in high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on the major freeways, avoiding stop-and-go traffic and reducing travel time.

And because driving responsibilities are shared, vanpoolers can enjoy more time relaxing during a stress-free commute.

Five to 15 people ride in each vanpool.

Please register for an online account and answer a few questions. This information helps us determine if you’re looking to get matched with an existing vanpool or if you’d like to start a new vanpool.

The cost is calculated according to mileage, number of riders and size of the vehicle.

The average cost per passenger is just $7-9 a day. That amount factors in the rider's share of the monthly lease (including insurance and maintenance), in addition to:

• Gas
• Parking
• Tolls
• Cleaning

Some employers offer a transit benefit that lowers the cost even more.

An approved volunteer from the group drives, allowing the vehicle to always stay in possession of the group. Once the group is formed, we work with you to find a convenient location for all the vanpoolers to meet. Everyone parks their car and then rides together to work. At the end of the workday, the approved volunteer drops everyone back off at that same location.

The group also decides who can keep the vehicle for limited, personal use outside of business hours.

Each vanpool has one or two approved backup drivers who can take over driving responsibilities as needed.

Yes. METRO Vanpool will maintain and repair the vehicle when necessary. If it needs to be kept overnight, a backup vehicle will be provided.

Vanpooling is a month-to-month commitment. There are no long-term obligations. However, if you pay your fare at the beginning of the month, you’re committing to ride that month. If at some point that month you stop riding, any partial refunds are at the discretion of the group.

If you have an emergency and need to leave work early, call METRO Vanpool at 713-224-RIDE (7433). If we approve your trip (three maximum per year), you’ll be provided a ride to your destination. We’ll cover the cost of the ride, minus tips (which are optional). 

This program operates weekdays, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. except on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Juneteenth, Labor Day Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

We arrange vehicles as needed to meet ADA requirements. Most vans are equipped with running boards and handles to assist riders with boarding. We work with vanpool groups that require ADA accommodations to find the most convenient and comfortable option to accommodate all riders, including those with disabilities.

As a practical matter, vanpool groups often struggle to retain enough riders when there are expectations of accommodating one or more riders who need assistance to board the van. We work to offset this by covering any extra costs that result from providing accessible vehicles.

In the past, we've provided a special vehicle equipped for low-floor side ramp access for a rider in a wheelchair. We installed a floor locking feature to match the one the rider had in her personal vehicle, resulting in a bi-reconfiguration of her wheelchair. Without the modifications, the group would have been in a minivan with seven passengers sharing the cost. So we priced the van such that the riders paid the same amount they would have paid individually if they were part of a seven-passenger group in a minivan.