Enterprise Rideshare Expanding Vanpool Opportunities Throughout Southwest Idaho

"In rural communities, people often live a considerable distance from where they work, which makes the cost of commuting more expensive," said Kelli Fairless, VRT Executive Director. "Our partnership with Enterprise Rideshare will make the development of vanpool services easy, scalable and affordable for local employers so they can offer one of the most cost-effective transportation alternatives as an added benefit to their employees."

Enterprise Rideshare is supported by the extensive Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network of more than 5,000 fully staffed offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, including eight in Southwest Idaho. Enterprise's infrastructure and operational expertise will facilitate the development of cost-effective vanpool programs, enabling groups of five or more people with similar commuting routes to share a vehicle and save time and money on their daily travel. Enterprise Rideshare is part of Enterprise's urban mobility strategy and long-term commitment to sustainable transportation.

The partnership between Enterprise Rideshare and VRT is a component of VRT's CanyonRide Commuter Van program, a collaborative effort to provide organizations in Canyon County and adjacent areas in Southwest Idaho with the resources to start up or expand a vanpool program of any size.

For as little as $850 per month, each vanpool receives a reliable, well-equipped vehicle from Enterprise to get to and from work. Enterprise manages service and maintenance for the vehicles and provides 24-hour roadside assistance. Vanpoolers also have access to Enterprise's Guaranteed Ride Home program, which ensures they can leave work at unscheduled times worry-free.

As an added incentive, VRT is crediting $200 per month for up to 15 vehicles during the first year of service, bringing the monthly cost down to as little as $650 per vanpool. By the end of the pilot year, Enterprise Rideshare and VRT aim to successfully establish 12 vanpools in Canyon County.

Enterprise Rideshare has been operating vanpool programs across the United States for more than 20 years and offers a level of fleet flexibility and local service that is unmatched in the vanpool industry. From providing an industry-leading selection of vehicles to customizable vanpool programs, Enterprise Rideshare helps eliminate common barriers communities face in creating vanpool services, particularly in small rural areas where public transportation options are often scarce.

Employer Benefit
In addition to providing flexible commuting options for those with limited public transportation access, vanpooling offers a host of benefits to commuters and businesses alike. Enterprise estimates that – based on an average commute of 50 miles per day – vanpools can save an individual rider up to $10,000 per year, when considering tolls, gas, vehicle maintenance costs and depreciation. Vanpools also qualify for payroll pre-tax benefits, offering vanpoolers even more savings. In fact, many employers have leveraged Enterprise Rideshare's vanpool programs as an added benefit for employees, providing a competitive differentiator for recruiting and a way to improve their corporate sustainability profile.

"In regions like southwest Idaho where public transportation options are very limited, creating vanpools in collaboration with nearby businesses gives employers a way to effectively establish a transit system for employees," said Ryan Johnson, Enterprise vice president overseeing Enterprise Rideshare as well as other sustainable commuter solutions, including Zimride by Enterprise (online ride-matching) and vRide, a vanpooling company acquired by Enterprise earlier this year. "The vanpool development assistance offered through our partnership with Valley Regional Transit will allow local businesses to provide employees a convenient and cost-effective alternative to driving alone."

To learn more about Enterprise Rideshare, or to sign up for a vanpool, visit www.enterpriserideshare.com. For more information about VRT's CanyonRides Vanpool program, contact Kelly Jenkins at [email protected].

This press release and car rental industry news are available in the Enterprise Holdings Press Room.

About Enterprise Rideshare
A service of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Enterprise Rideshare was founded in 1994 and has become a national leader in providing customized vanpool programs and commuter services for individuals and companies across the country. Enterprise Rideshare manages vanpool programs that address both local and national needs by reducing traffic congestion and carbon emissions, while providing commuters with a smarter, better way to get to work. Zimride, the largest ride-matching program in the United States, also supports Enterprise Rideshare. For more information about Enterprise Rideshare or to get a vanpool started in your area, visit www.enterpriserideshare.com or call 800 VAN-4-WORK.

About Valley Regional Transit
Valley Regional Transit is the regional public transportation authority for Ada and Canyon counties. It manages the operations contracts for ValleyRide bus service in and between both counties. Its mission is to develop and manage transportation resources and to coordinate the effective and efficient delivery of safe transportation options to the region's citizens.

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SOURCE Enterprise Rideshare

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