A survey of vanpool drivers in the washington metropolitan region during the spring of 1989 was analyzed. The survey indicated that the number of vanpools increased from 670 in 1982 to 1, 060 in 1989, a growth of almost 60%. The growth occurred despite the liability insurance crisis of 1985-1986 that forced a number of vanpools out of service. It was found that almost 12, 200 people rode to work in vanpools on an average day, although there were more than 14, 000 vanpoolmembers. More than 2% of the commuters traveling to the d.C.-Arlington downtown employment center were in vanpools. Other study areas included trip length, travel time, membership, occupancy, collection and distribution, insurance, and equipment. Origin and destination analysis indicated a significant vanpool market share from prince william county (approximately 30 mi southwest of washington). Of the 17, 300 commuters traveling daily from prince william county to the downtown employment center, 3, 140 (18%) were in vanpools. Prince william county had the largest number of originating vanpools of any county--more than 300. Among the strongest incentives for vanpool formation were high-occupancy vehicle lanes linked to employment areas witha significant parking cost. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1285, Transportation forecasting 1990.
Abstract