Important Updates Regarding Your Vanpool

Important Updates Regarding Your Vanpool

Our Commitment to You 

Whether you are commuting in a Star Vanpool or practicing social distancing by working remotely, safety is our highest priority at METRO. Our team is committed to doing our part and will work to minimize any financial impact that you or your group may experience with the vanpool program as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

What We Need From You

In order to best assist you, we need details of individuals and vanpool groups who are temporarily stepping away from vanpooling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please contact us and provide us with information on any changes as soon as they occur. Our goal is to stay up to date with any plans to suspend and/or restart vanpool service to best manage any financial impacts participants may experience, while also maintaining our capacity to provide service once it is needed again.

Please see below for the information you need to provide if:

• Your vanpool will not operate because your group will be working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• You will not ride because you will be working from home even though your group will continue to commute in the vanpool.
• You will continue to ride while others in your vanpool work from home.

We ask that you communicate these situations to our team as soon as possible so that we may proactively address them and better serve you. 

Next Steps

We will carefully document vanpools that are no longer operating and riders who are temporarily not participating.  We will work with you to implement Hold My Van and Save My Seat procedures, and to ensure vanpool assets are properly secured during non-use.  We will also work with our vendor to ensure vans are available when you are ready to resume service.

Securing Assets

Please notify our team with your vehicle’s storage location during non-usage. Please make sure the vehicle is parked in a secure location, such as at an approved driver's residence. Groups should remove any fuel cards, items of value, and personal property from the vehicle.

Hold My Van

If your vanpool stops operating due to the COVID-19 pandemic please gather the following data and send it to Jennifer Harden (jennifer.harden@ridemetro.org) with copies to Faunya Coleman (faunya.coleman@ridemetro.org) and Star@ridemetro.org.

• Van Number
• Name, email address, and phone number for Primary Driver and Alternate Driver
• Current vanpool parking location
• Date vanpool operation stopped (or will stop)
• Date expected to return to operation

We ask that the primary driver or designated contact provide a weekly update regarding the status of your vanpool and projected return date every Thursday before close of business.

If an entire vanpool has stopped operating we will conduct a termination request with Enterprise. Our team will contact you every day leading up to the termination up to 2 times a day. 

We will notify Enterprise that your van is on hold and put them on notice to temporarily terminate the lease. Enterprise requests that you secure the van at home or another secure location rather than leaving it in an unattended parking lot for an extended period of time. If necessary, Enterprise will be asked to arrange a vehicle pick up.

When your group is ready to resume operation, we will request a written return to service confirmation.

Save My Seat

If you will stop riding due to the COVID-19 pandemic, please provide the following information via email to Jennifer Harden (jennifer.harden@ridemetro.org) with copies to Faunya Coleman (faunya.coleman@ridemetro.org) and Star@ridemetro.org.

• Van Number
• Commuter name, commuter ID, email address, and phone number
• Date vanpool participation stopped (or will stop)
• Expected return date

Each individual removed will be asked to complete Save My Seat form (provided by our team) if they are expecting to return to the vanpool once the current health emergency comes to an end.

We ask that you provide a weekly update regarding the status of your participation and projected return date every Thursday before close of business.

When you are ready to return to the vanpool, we will request a written return to service confirmation.

Ridership Reporting

For March 2020:

If your van is currently grounded and is not expected to operate for the remainder of the month:

• Complete the report by adding the odometer reading
• Completing the actual ridership/attendance for the month.
• Use the “E” Emergency code for days not ridden due to the Covid-19 pandemic (see table below)
• Submit your report when ready

April and After:

If the vanpool is to remain grounded for the entire month:

• Complete the report by adding the odometer reading
• Completing the ridership/attendance for the month.
• Use the “E” Emergency code for days not ridden due to the Covid-19 pandemic (see table below)
• Submit your report when ready. 

Return to Service Credits

Any amounts already paid for a time period covered by Hold My Van or Save My Seat (after proper and timely activation having used the above procedures), will be applied as a credit to your services upon return.

METRO Star Responding to Community Needs

Many employers will continue to require essential employees to report for work. If employees in your company require commute assistance during this period, please contact METRO Star Vanpool to discuss ways in which we may be able to assist.

Future Service Commitment

METRO wants to continue to serve your commuting needs during this crisis as well as when it subsides. Our goal is to work individually with each rider to ensure we meet your needs and continue to provide an invaluable commuting service. We know this is a stressful time and want to reassure you that METRO will be here to serve you when you need us. If you have any questions or concerns please contact our customer service team.

Sincerely, 

Your METRO Star Team

METRO STAR Customer Service: