Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/1162476
M EET YOUR N EW Commute How Two TMC Employees Saved Thousands by Joining a Vanpool Thirteen years ago, Patricia discovered Houston METRO's regional vanpool program – METRO STAR Vanpool. Before then, she was driving from Crosby to the Texas Medical Center every day - twice a day. As if the stress from sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic isn't enough, the cost of parking, tolls, and car maintenance can quickly turn a commute into the worst part of a person's job. Patricia had to fill up on gas at least 3 times a week. It made her feel like she was paying to go to work. It was when she joined the vanpool that Patricia met Kathleen Henshaw. Thirteen years later, Patricia and Kathleen continue to share a ride to work, and a wonderful friendship. They are a shining example of how vanpooling brings people together and sometimes even creates life-long friendships. Patricia and Kathleen are part of an 8-person vanpool and share a 45-minute commute from Humble to the TMC. "It's really interactive," says Kathleen, "everybody knows each other. The newest person on our van has been with us almost a year." The TMC currently has 120 vanpool groups consisting of a total of 1,018 employees commuting from all over the Greater Houston area. "A vanpool route can end and/or start anywhere in the 8-county region," says Dezra Nauls, commuter services program manager at METRO. "We service Harris, Waller, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Fort Bend, Liberty, and Chambers County." METRO STAR has been Houston's vanpool provider for over 20 years. Through this program, thousands of commuters have been able save time, money, and reduce stress on their daily commute. Taking the first step towards joining a vanpool is easy. Once a person registers, METRO STAR matches people with other commuters who live and work in similar areas with its ride- matching system. The cost is based on commute distance, van size and the number of commuters. The fare covers maintenance, fuel, tolls, insurance, roadside assistance and three emergency rides home per year. Both women said they were compelled to give vanpool a try because of the potential savings, so we conducted a cost savings analysis on Patricia's and Kathleen's commutes to see how much money vanpooling saves them. Since 2016, both women have saved over $8,000 each. Kathleen repurposes her savings towards the things that matter most to her while enjoying the benefits of not driving her car to work every day, "The savings mean more money in the family budget, less fear of breaking down on the road, less stress when I arrive at work and, of course, meeting new friends and colleagues from other UT locations." Besides saving money, sharing a ride to work in a vanpool has also enhanced Kathleen's and Patricia's personal lives. "I can catch up on the news, nap, or relax and unwind from my day so when I get home to my kids I can be a better mom," says Kathleen. Patricia likes that she can pay bills, read, or plan things like family reunions during her commute, "Everyone on the van really respects your time. We've learned each other's personalities. So if we see someone reading or working, everyone tries to be quiet." Vanpooling is a great way to improve your quality of life, meet new people, and help improve the region's traffic conditions and air quality. Commuters who are tired of driving in traffic every day and are ready to try their new commute can visit STARVanpool.com to register or call 713-224-7433 for more information. COM MUTE SAVI NGS SUM MARY SI NCE 2016 Kathleen Henshaw $ 8,300.21 REDUCED COST $ 8,372.13 REDUCED COST 1,383.37 (gal) REDUCED FUEL 1,395.36 (gal) REDUCED FUEL 26,837.35 (lbs) REDUCED GREENHOUSE GASES 27,069.89 (lbs) REDUCED GREENHOUSE GASES Patricia Boone ADVERTISEMENT