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Vanpool program reduces stress, increases fellowship
By SUSAN THURSTON
© St. Petersburg Times, TAMPA PALMS -- Debbie Orndorff doesn't mind commuting 40 miles to her job in New Tampa. Neither does Karen Williams. For a few hours a day, they get to giggle, gossip and vent about life's ups and downs. The employees at USAA are among dozens of people who take part in the insurance company's vanpool program. For a modest fee, they leave their cars behind and jump on a van to get to work. "I can honestly say I don't know why anyone wouldn't want to ride a van if one was available," said Orndorff, a substitute driver for van No. 163 out of Spring Hill. "We enjoy it." USAA boasts the single-largest vanpool program in Hillsborough County. Its 21 vans shuttle 113 employees from across the Tampa Bay area, including Brandon, Clearwater, New Port Richey, Seminole and St. Petersburg. Riders say teaming up saves money and reduces stress. It also provides a valuable public service: fewer cars on the road during rush hour. "If I didn't have the van, I wouldn't drive this far," said Williams, who commutes from Spring Hill in Hernando County. "It's too lonely by yourself. We talk. We entertain each other." USAA began the program in 1977 at its headquarters in San Antonio, Texas, to conserve fuel and to provide safe, affordable transportation for its employees. The Southeast Regional Office in Tampa started in 1987. Employees pay between $13.70 and $36.25 every two weeks, depending on how far away they live. That covers the cost of gas, maintenance, insurance, license fees and depreciation. "For some people, it really makes a difference," said Lynne McChristian, a USAA spokeswoman. "They enjoy the camaraderie and the convenience, and the way traffic is becoming, they have a stronger case." Programs like these go a long ways toward helping to relieve congestion, particularly on local streets that can't handle a lot of traffic. "It's one of those tactics that can help ease the problems. It may not solve them, but it will help," said Phil Winters, a program director at the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida. Winters sees places such as New Tampa as prime markets for vanpooling. A resident of Tampa Palms, he often sees cars with only one person backed on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, the main drag through town. "It only takes a couple of cars to improve the traffic flow," he said. About 200 vanpools operate statewide. Bay Area Commuter Services has 10, but plans to expand using a grant awarded to HARTline. Several other groups have switched to carpooling. USAA's program is unique in that it provides and maintain its own vans, said the commuter service's executive director, Sarah Noyle. That makes it cheaper and more convenient for passengers and drivers, who can take the vans home at night. Noyle routinely visits companies to promote vanpooling and alternative means of transportation. The commuter service, which works in cooperation with the state and bay area counties, also maintains a database to match passengers who live and work in the same communities. The commuter service estimates that about 79 percent of the work force in Hillsborough County drive alone to work, based on 1990 census data. About 14 percent use carpools or ride in vans, about 2 percent take public transit, and the rest use other forms of transportation. Changing people's commuting habits isn't easy. People often want their vehicles after work, and others fear they may have to work late or leave early because of an emergency. To make it easier, the commuter service offers a guaranteed-ride-home program for anyone who uses alternative transportation at least two days a week. Commuters can get up to eight taxi rides free a year for cases of illness, family emergencies and unexpected overtime. They also can skip taking the van or carpooling. "There is a myth that you have to do it every day," Noyle said. USAA's Erin Stacy said the pros outweigh the cons. She has been riding a van for about a year and loves not having the wear and tear on her car. She saves money in gas, oil changes and routine maintenance. Her van leaves a Spring Hill grocery store at 6:50 a.m. and arrives in New Tampa about 7:40. For the trip home, they depart at 6:15 p.m. On average, they work four-day weeks. Colleague Rita Hastings, who also rides from Spring Hill, said commuting together has built friendships that go beyond the water cooler. They eat breakfast and lunch and, sometimes, socialize after work. "We probably develop closer relationships on the van than at work," said Hastings, a 21/2-year vanpooler. They also use the time to talk about their jobs, company business and office chitchat. "They say if you want to know all of the gossip, you either have to smoke or ride the van," said driver Orndorff. -- Susan Thurston can be reached at (813) 226-3463.
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