Vanpool Webinar Series
The Vanpool Webinar Series featured vanpool providers and experts in a series on developing and implementing sustainable vanpool initiatives. The webinars, which were funded by the Community Transportation Association's Joblinks Transportation Center, were free to all who were interested. Joblinks is supported by funding from the U.S. DOT Federal Transit Administration and the U.S. DOL Employment and Training Administration.
Webinar Recordings and Supporting Documents
Starting and Growing Rural Vanpool Programs: From Financing to Vehicle Procurement
Details
Date of Recording: March 23, 2010
Description: Vanpool program operators are using creative funding and partnership-building strategies to build their vanpool programs. This webinar will assist you in thinking broadly about how to develop and sustain vanpooling in your community. Speakers will present examples of how federal, state and local funds and tax benefits can be packaged to support rural vanpools. Speakers will also share ways to obtain vehicles.
Presenters
- Dale Marsico, Executive Director, Community Transportation Association of America, Washington, D.C., will provide an overview of federal funding resources
- Shamus Misek, Rideshare Program Manager, Washington State Department of Transportation will discuss the Washington State Vanpool Investment Program
- Jon Martz, Vice President, Government Relations, VPSI
Moderator: Carolyn Jeskey, Director, Joblinks Transportation Center, Community Transportation Association of America, Washington, D.C.
Resources
- Webinar Playback (Adobe Connect Pro)
- Dale Marsico, CTAA, A Historical Overview of Rural Transportation in the United States (PPT) (795 KB)
- Shamus Misek, Washington Department of Transportation Presentation (PPT) (85 KB)
- Jon Martz, VPSI Inc., Presentation (PPT) (1.01 MB)
- Sample: State of Washington Bridges to Work Agreement
The Commuter Tax Benefit: A Federal Incentive for Vanpool Riders and Their Employers Playback
Details
Date of Recording: Feb. 18, 2010
Description: Employers around the country have created incentive programs to support employees who ride vanpools to work. From offering preferential parking to providing tax incentives to actively encouraging vanpool creation, there are many ways to encourage employees to vanpool instead of driving alone to work. The federal Commuter Tax Benefit (formally known as the Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit or Section 132[f] benefit) enables employers to offer pre-tax deductions of up to $230 per month to pay for qualified vanpool costs. This webinar will explain how the Section 132(f) benefit works and how it can be administered. Speakers will offer examples of how to support vanpooling and will discuss how offering 132(f) benefits helped to build their programs.
Presenters
- Barbara Ladner, Manager for Business Development, Pace Transit, Arlington Heights, Ill.
- Buddy Alves, Senior Marketing Specialist, Commuter Choice Maryland Program Coordinator, Maryland Transit Association
- Philip Beard, Regulatory & Government Affairs, Duke Energy Carolinas
Moderator: Amy Conrick, Joblinks Program Manager, Community Transportation Association of America, Washington, D.C.
Resources
- Webinar Playback (Adobe Connect Pro)
- Webinar intro slides and presenter biographies (PDF) (585 KB)
- Overview of Commuter Tax Benefit (PDF) (483 KB)
- Barbara Ladner, Manager for Business Development, Pace Transit, Arlington Heights, Ill. (PDF) (5.37 MB)
- Buddy Alves, Senior Marketing Specialist, Commuter Choice Maryland Program Coordinator, Maryland Transit Association (PDF) (611 KB)
- Philip Beard, Regulatory & Government Affairs, Duke Energy Carolinas (PDF) (246 KB)
- IRS Guide to Fringe Benefits (PDF) (2.11 MB)
- IRS Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefits under ARRA (PDF) (283 KB)
- 2009 Commuter Impact Survey (PDF) (3.51 MB)
- Duke Energy Transportation Benefit Request Form (PDF) (29.9 KB)
Rural Vanpooling: Highlights from Three Communities Playback
Date of Recording: Jan. 19, 2010
Description: Rural communities are often challenged to provide workers with shared-ride commuting options and an increasing number of communities are looking to vanpools. Vanpooling offers a flexible and cost-effective solution for these smaller, more widely dispersed communities, and is an option that benefits commuters and businesses alike.
Presenters
- Ron Hughes, Director of Transit Services, Kings County Transit, Hanford, Calif.
- Barbara Hurst, Transportation Director, Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center, Brunswick, Ga.
- Lyn Hellegaard, Executive Director, Missoula Ravalli TMA, Missoula, Mont.
Resources
- Rural Vanpooling: Highlights from Three Communities Webinar Playback (Adobe Connect Pro)
- Ron Hughes, Director of Transit Services, Kings County Transit, Hanford, Calif., presentation (PDF) (1.32 MB)
- Barbara Hurst, Transportation Director, Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center, Brunswick, Ga., presentation(PDF) (437 KB)
- Lyn Hellegaard, Executive Director, Missoula Ravalli TMA, Missoula, Mont., presentation (PDF) (559 KB)