HONOLULU, Aug. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Rideshare, which launched in Hawaii last year, is partnering with the City and County of Honolulu to help reduce local traffic congestion and carbon emissions through the newly created Oahu Vanpool Incentive Program (OVIP).
Enterprise Rideshare is a service of Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which has delivered local transportation solutions in Hawaii for nearly 25 years. The vanpooling service enables 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 the City and County of Honolulu, in coordination with the State Department of Transportation, is supported by $1 million from the Hawaii State Legislature. The funds provide $250 per vanpool each month to be split among riders as an incentive to try vanpooling. The subsidy is available on a first-come, first-serve basis and certain conditions apply. With a goal of 150 vanpools of seven people, the program aims to get 1,050 commuters out of single-occupancy vehicles.
The vanpools – open to anyone living or working in Oahu – feature new models of crossovers, SUVs, minivans and large passenger vans, and include the monthly cost of gas, insurance and maintenance. In addition, vanpools that are eligible for funding from the Hawaii state subsidy each receive $250 a month.
"Vanpool drivers get to use the vans for their personal use," said Senator Michelle Kidani, who backed the bill to fund the program. "In turn, they are responsible for keeping the vans fueled, picking up their fellow vanpoolers on time and getting them to their destinations safely."
Thanks to the extensive Enterprise neighborhood network – which operates 70 locations throughout Hawaii, including 40 in Oahu alone – vanpoolers also have access to Enterprise's Guaranteed Ride Home program, which ensures they can leave work at unscheduled times worry-free.
In addition to providing flexible commuting options, 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 insurance, gas, vehicle maintenance costs and depreciation. Vanpools also qualify for payroll pre-tax benefits, offering vanpoolers even more savings.
"Enterprise Rideshare has more than 20 years of experience operating vanpool programs across the U.S. and offers an unparalleled level of fleet flexibility and local service," said Chris Sbarbaro, vice president for Enterprise in Hawaii. "With an industry-leading selection of vehicles and deep expertise in customizable vanpool programs, we're well equipped to handle the transportation needs of the Oahu Vanpool Incentive Program."
In addition to the launch of the OVIP, the State Department of Transportation recently opened a new carpool shoulder lane in Oahu that extends two miles eastbound on H1 from Kualakai Parkway to the Kunia/Waipahu/Ewa exit. The update is expected to reduce commuting time for local riders, including those participating in the OVIP.
For more information about Enterprise Rideshare, visit www.enterpriserideshare.com. To start a vanpool or find out more about the OVIP, call 808 543-1526 or email RideshareHawaii@erac.com.
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.
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SOURCE Enterprise Rideshare
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