Do-It Yourself Vanpool Guide
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
® Do-It Yourself U.S. Department of Transportation Vanpool Guide August 1994 TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/ TECHNOLOGY SHARING REPRINT SERIES/TECHNOLOGY SHARING Orginally Published by Washington State Department of Transportation Washington State Ridesharing Organization 1 About This Publication Washington State and WSDOT TheRidesharing Organiza- WSROgratefully acknowl- tion and the Washington edge the following State Department of agencies and their Transportation have produced representatives who con- this guide as a pubHc service tributed to the update of this for the citizens of Washington pubHcation: State. For copies contact your Intercity Transit local transit or rideshare Yvette Wixson agency, the Washington State Ridesharing Organization King County Clare Cronin (WSRO), or the Washington Lorraine Desrochers State Department of Trans- Ann Martin portation's Transportation Sandy Ockels Demand Management (TDM) Pierce Transit Resource Center. See Appen- Daphne Tackett dix A for telephone numbers and maiUng addresses of these Spol(ane Transit organizations. Ame Stone If you have further ques- WSDOT tions or concerns about van- Daniela Bremmer-Washington pooling, contact your local Susan Coupe Faye Jenkins-Edwards transit or rideshare agency, or, Patsy Nedrow if you live or work in an area Cary Nievinski where no transit agency exists, John ShadofF contact a Washington State Department of Transportation The Rockey Company S. Bank (WSDOT) regional rideshare U. Northwest Region Employees' coordinator, also listed in Credit Union Appendix A. i 5 Table of Contents Chapter Page 1 What is a lo-lt-Yourself" or Owner-Operated Vanpool? 1 2 The Benefits of Do-lt-Yourself Vanpooling 7 3 How to Quaiify and Appiy for Vehicie Tax Exemptions 1 4 Seiecting, Operating, and Insoring Your Own Vanpooi 21 5 Managing Your Vanpooi Group 29 Appendices A Assistance 41 B Exempt Category Oescriptions and Definitions 41 C Washington State Bidesharing Laws 47 B Insurance Companies and Agencies That May Offer Vanpooi insurance 58 Index 59 What is a "Do-lt-Yburself" or Owner- Operated Vanpoel? I ML. - fcisl« jiMfeMHf .J/tdlisMl jtkMmf ji.,**.!*..fcS jUJmiIi .uUkkkl ... dJULuu. JBttIMm ..iMjM .JMLtii. jtMunLe What Is a lo-lt-Yourself" Vanpaol? guide was written for Exempt Category Descriptions Thisthose who wish to own in Appendix B. or lease their own vans In an owner-operated van- and operate vanpools pool, members share the ride that recover the commute por- to and from work in a van used tion of their fixed and operat- primarily for commuting on a ing costs, and not for profit. regularly scheduled basis. Rid- Washington State laws ers are charged a monthly fare define a "commuter ride shar- to compensate the driver for ing group" as a prearranged, owning (or leasing), maintain- fixed group of no more than ing, and operating the van. fifteen people. The group The driver is a working com- commutes from home (or a muter who shares the ride; he prearranged meeting place) to or she is not a professional dri- work, school, or other institu- ver and needs no special oper- tion and back in a single, ator or business Hcense. round trip in which the driver State Legal Considerations is also commuting. Washington State deregulated Under this definition, there vanpooHng with the "1979 are several categories of groups Ridesharing Act," which cre- that qualify for vehicle tax ated Revised Code of Wash- exemptions if they meet cer- ington (RCW) 46.74 and tain legal requirements. Van- modified several state laws. pools generally fit under the This and other pertinent legal category of "commuter RCWs are included in Appen- ridesharing for seven to fifteen dix C in the back of this book. persons." For more informa- This legislation took com- tion about vehicle tax exemp- muter vanpooling out of the tions and categories see Chap- "for-hire" and "auto trans- ter Three of this book and the 1 portation companies" category expense) is defined in federal of transportation. A taxi, for regulations as any paymentfor instance, is considered a "for- services^ or any compensation for hire" vehicle and is regulated use of the van which exceeds by local ordinance. A charter actual commute portions ofown- bus, for example, falls under ing and operating costs. For the "auto transportation" cate- example, the owner-operator gory and is regulated by the cannot be paid for services as a Washington Utilities and driver or bookkeeper for the Transportation Commission. A vanpool operation. The driver vanpool is exempt from either may consider his or her time category if: and function as the driver con- 1. It is not operated for profit. tribution, and the riders simply 2. You have a prearranged, share what would have been fixed group of 7 to 15 the owner's out-of-pocket people. expense for owning and oper- 3. You commute together on ating a van during a normal a regular (not necessarily commute. See Chapter Five daily) basis, making only for details on driver reimburse- one single round trip on ment and how to determine any given day. fares. Federal Legal Considerallons Most-Asked Questions Federal regulation of van- What constitutes prearranged? pooling applies only if the van- The owner must know in pool is operated for profit and advance who is eligible to ride it crosses state lines. There- in the vanpool. While five- fore, federal regulations need day-a-week participation is not not be considered by vanpool- mandatory, the owner must be ers operating under the Wash- able to list the names of those ington State laws described in who have made standing this pubHcation. arrangements to participate Profit (as opposed to shared 2 1^ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ \ V V ^ N \ V V-\^\ \ V \.\-^ \ \ regularly. Allowances can be transit agency or nearest made for absenteeism and National Safety Coimcil vacations. branch for information. Mtist all riders share a com- Is a special vehicle license mon destination? required? No. The destinations may Yes and no. The purchase of be places of employment, specialized Rideshare plates is schools or colleges, or institu- optional. However, tax exemp- tions where a vanpooler does tions will not be permitted volunteer work. The riders and without them. Purchase of spe- driver may be a mixture of cially designated license plates workers, students, and volun- is required of owner-operated teers. Riders may be picked up vanpool vehicles to qualify for at various points and dis- sales or use tax and motor charged at various destinations. vehicle excise tax exemptions Park and Ride lots are com- as discussed in Chapter Three mon pick up and drop off (Also see RCW46.16.023 in points. As owner, you must Appendix C), The $30 special also be on your way to work, plate fee can mean hundreds of to school, or to the place dollars of savings each year in where you do volunteer work. excise and sales or use tax. The Regardless of the number of $30 fee is in addition to the destinations, you may make normal licensing fees. You may only a single round trip per purchase these specialized day. license plates at any Washing- ton State Department of h a special driver^s license Licensing office or local sub- required? agency. See Appendix B for a No. A standard Washington list of exempt categories. (Plate State Driver's License will suf- and other fees are subject to fice. We do, however recom- change, so check with your mend a defensive driving licensing agency.) course. Contact your local 3 Is a special license or permit Can the van he usedfor other requiredfor vanpool operation'^ purposes? No. A vanpool as outlined To qualify for tax exemp- in this publication is not con- tions, your vehicle must be sidered a business for state or used primarily for commuting local licensing or tax purposes. purposes. You are free to use your van for nearly any pur- Is mandatory drug testing pose you see fit during non- requiredfor drivers'^ commute hours. Even during No. Currendy, private van- the work day, it may be used pool drivers are subject to the for business or errands. The same standard of care as any one exception is that a vanpool other licensed driver in Wash- vehicle quaUfying for the tax ington State. exception cannot be used as a h the driver entitled to "for-hire" vehicle. Rider fares TDorker^s compensation? should be calculated only on No. The driver is consid- the vehicle's fixed and operat- ered a volunteer as cited in ing costs for the portion of RCW 51.08.013 (see Appendix time it is used for commuting. C) and is not eligible. Where can I get detailed infor- Are vanpools exemptfrom mation about my legal, tax, other taxes? and insurance questions? Yes. As a shared-expense This guide is meant to pro- vanpool, the operation is vide helpful information and exempt from Public Utility Tax examples about how to start per RCW 82.16.047 and the and manage your own van- Business and Occupation Tax, pool. References are made RCW 82.04.355 (See Appen- throughout to various agencies dix C). and contacts for obtaining fur- ther information.