By: Ralph Mancini
February 24, 2023
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Could vanpooling be people’s preferred choice to commute to and from work in the near future?
The folks from Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments (BCDCOG) introduced their Lowcountry Go Vanpool Program as a “real solution” that would help reduce traffic congestion at the Summerville/Dorchester County Chamber of Commerce’s “Power Hour” event on Feb. 15 at the Rollins Edwards Community Center.
Morgan Grimes and Courtney Cherry were on hand to apprise the early-morning crowd of 50-60 attendees on Lowcountry Go’s initiative that provides eligible groups of four of more commuters with a 7 or 15-passenger van to get them to work anywhere in the Tri-county area.
During their presentation, the duo described the vanpooling endeavor as an easy and inexpensive service available via a month-to-month lease agreement which furnishes clients with a vehicle, insurance, maintenance, gas and emergency trips.
The monthly cost, they added, is divided among riders, as that expense lowers with more people who join in on the vanpooling endeavor. Overall, it was noted, the plan is most economical for groups traveling 15 or more miles one way.
The minimum amount of people to start a vanpool is four.
Audience members learned that the vanpool solution was the offshoot of factors, such as population growth — which is three times the national average in Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties — and roadway congestion since in many cases lawmakers cannot widen their way out of traffic problems.
In addition to the vanpooling option, Lowcountry Go delivers walking, biking and public transit solutions in the form of electronic buses.
Vanpools can operate any day of the week and all participants — including the driver — must be commuting, as detailed in a corresponding slideshow at the “Power Hour” gathering.
Vanpooling, according to stats compiled by Lowcountry Go, saves people 50-80 percent annually on their commuting costs, 11,100 miles on their personal car and up to 25 percent in car insurance.
From an environmental standpoint, it eliminates 40 pounds of nitric oxide gases per day and saves up to 7.2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. What’s more, up to one billion gallons of fuel can potentially be saved by more people opting to vanpool to work.
In fact, just 10 vanpools annually can eliminate 1.5 pounds of carbon dioxide.
Grimes and Cherry further mentioned the quality-of-life benefits derived from vanpooling, such as stress reduction and affording commuters more time to themselves before and after their daily drive.
Questions regarding Lowcountry Go can be sent to Courtney Cherry (vanpool@bcdcog.com 843-529-6286).
