We provide the van. You save thousands of dollars a year.
Like carpools, a Pace Vanpool connects individuals who live near each other and have similar travel patterns/work hours to form a rideshare arrangement. Available for commuters who live or work in Pace’s service area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties).
Save Money
Chicago-area residents who give up their car in favor of transit save an average of $970 per month ($11,643* annually). That's a lot of money.
Driver Bonus
Pace Vanpool drivers can participate at no cost with groups of 4 commuters and get 300 personal usage miles. A backup driver receives a $25/month discount (or $15/month discount in part-time groups).
Less Stress
Avoid the stress of traffic by using Pace Vanpool.
Connect With Others
Find other riders to share the fun with on your commute.
Door-to-Door Service
Leave from home and arrive at work in one simple step.
More Time
Riders can use their time productively or to just sit back and relax.
Paid With Pre-Tax
Employees can pay with pre-tax dollars, savings of up to 40%.**
*American Public Transportation Association′s (APTA) June 2019 Transit Savings Report
**up to the authorized pre-tax limits of $280 per month
Pace supplies the vehicle and covers costs, including:
Fuel • Tolls • Insurance • Maintenance • Roadside assistance • Van washes
There are two ways to become a Vanpooler. You could either join an existing Pace Vanpool or start a new group.
To join an existing Pace Vanpool
To find a seat in a Pace Vanpool use our Vanpool & Carpool Matching Tool. Set up an account, decide on the role you want (primary driver, backup driver or rider) and search for possible groups traveling along your route to work. There are two types of vanpools: Traditional and Feeder. When you find a vanpool group to commute with, submit an online request to join. Pace will contact you to share more about the commute, fares and how things work. You can set up 3 FREE rides before joining or begin riding right away.
To form a new Pace Vanpool
The first step is to form a group of 4 or more commuters. You may know interested coworkers or have an existing carpool. If you need assistance with finding others, consider searching for commuters with our Vanpool & Carpool Matching Tool, distributing our "Join my Group" Flyer, and/or approaching your company’s Human Resource Department, Transportation Coordinator or Property Manager for assistance with identifying other commuters at your company (and even nearby employers) that might be interested in sharing a ride with you.
Once you have a group, pick two drivers: one primary driver and one backup driver. There can be more than one backup driver in a group.
Primary Drivers
In exchange for driving and coordination responsibilities, all primary drivers can use the Pace van for personal trips within mileage limits. Primary drivers also pay no monthly fare in a group of 4 or more vanpoolers.
Backup Drivers
Backup drivers help with driving and save on the monthly fare. There can be more than one backup driver in a group. A backup driver receives a $25/month discount (or $15/month discount in part-time groups).
When organizing a Pace vanpool, consider these group formation tips and complete the Pace Vanpool application.
The approval process length can be impacted by how quickly drivers are available for the training course. Upon course completion, Pace provides the van to the primary driver and everyone can start saving money while enjoying a better commute together.
You′ll save money, help reduce congestion and have a more productive commute by ridesharing.
Each rider pays a low monthly fare based on distance and number of participants. This covers all costs of the vanpool, including fuel, maintenance, insurance, tolls, roadside assistance and van washes.
2023 MONTHLY VANPOOL PASSENGER FARE SCHEDULE
| REGULAR FULL TIME FARE SCHEDULE | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daily Round Trip Van Miles | 4 Pass* | 5 Pass* | 6 Pass* | 7-8 Pass* | 9-10 Pass* | 11-12 Pass* | 13-14 Pass* |
| 1-20 Miles | $112 | $99 | $92 | $85 | $73 | $73 | $73 |
| 21-30 Miles | $117 | $103 | $96 | $89 | $75 | $73 | $73 |
| 31-40 Miles | $122 | $109 | $102 | $95 | $78 | $73 | $73 |
| 41-50 Miles | $128 | $114 | $107 | $99 | $81 | $73 | $73 |
| 51-60 Miles | $133 | $119 | $111 | $103 | $86 | $75 | $73 |
| 61-70 Miles | $138 | $124 | $116 | $107 | $89 | $77 | $73 |
| 71-80 Miles | $142 | $130 | $121 | $112 | $92 | $79 | $73 |
| 81-90 Miles | $146 | $134 | $125 | $116 | $97 | $81 | $73 |
| 91-100 Miles | $150 | $138 | $129 | $119 | $100 | $85 | $75 |
| 101-110 Miles | $153 | $141 | $132 | $123 | $103 | $87 | $77 |
| 111-120 Miles | $160 | $145 | $136 | $127 | $107 | $89 | $79 |
| 121-130 Miles | $163 | $149 | $140 | $130 | $112 | $91 | $81 |
| 131-140 Miles | $166 | $153 | $144 | $134 | $116 | $94 | $85 |
| 141-150 Miles | $171 | $157 | $148 | $138 | $119 | $97 | $87 |
| 151-160 Miles | $174 | $161 | $151 | $141 | $123 | $99 | $89 |
*The van driver is excluded from this passenger/van count.
FEEDER VANPOOL FARE:
$58/passenger (driver rides free) • $29/passenger (if riding 3 days or less per week)
| NEW! PART-TIME FARE |
|---|
| 50% OFF the regular fare for Vanpools and/or riders riding 3 days or less per week |
The prices listed in the table above are based on you making five round-trip commutes per week. However, Pace recognizes that many people don’t commute to their workplaces five days per week, and we can offer flexible prices accordingly. Pace staff will work with your group of vanpoolers to create a monthly fare that accounts for the actual weekly operation of the van.
Pace Vanpool participants can save even more on their fares by using a commuter benefit. Sometimes referred to as a Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefit, this program is set up by employers to allow their employees to use pre-tax dollars or a subsidy to pay for bus, train or vanpool fares saving on taxes each year. The commuter benefit can be used for parking costs too.
Find out how much you could save monthly and annually using the RTA Transit Benefit Fare Program Savings Calculator.
Check to see if your employer is offering a tax-free commuter benefit, and if so, sign up to take advantage of the savings. If your employer doesn't offer a transit benefit fare program, encourage them to enroll. You could send your employer an email containing information about the RTA Transit Benefit Fare Program.
The easiest way to see if you match with an existing Pace Vanpool or carpool, or with other commuters interested in forming a rideshare group, is to register at PaceRideShare.com. Our secure, free matching service compares your commute to the commutes of over 5,000 registered RideShare participants and existing Pace Vanpools.
You can also share this "Join my Group" flyer with your coworkers who might be interested in pooling with you.
You′ll save money, help reduce congestion and have a more productive commute by ridesharing.
Please see links below to find out more about non-traditional Vanpool options. You'll find resources for employers (including our Employee Shuttle program), non-profits, and commuters planning to drive their Pace Vanpool to Metra stations.
