ROCHESTER — A new transportation program will help connect city residents with jobs throughout the region.
Through a contract with vRide and partnership with the Regional Transit Service, the city will launch the Rochester Vanpool pilot project, according to a city press release.
A van pool is a group of up to 12 commuters that voluntarily participates in a ride-share agreement to make one daily round trip to a workplace. vRide will provide the van, insurance, maintenance and designated fuel card for each group of employees who use the service. The city will subsidize the cost of this service for up to three vans, with prices capped at $75 per month for each participant. The program covers routes that originate in the city and include residents who live in neighborhoods with a 30 percent or higher rate of poverty.
During the initial pilot phase, the city has partnered with RTS and Career Start, a job placement agency, to test the new service.
The project will help city residents reach employment hubs not easily accessible by bus routes, which are fixed and may not offer weekend or overnight service, city officials said.
For more information, visit cityofrochester.gov/vanpool.
