TRANSPORTATION

Sharing the ride to work with a co-worker or neighbor is one of the easiest ways to reThink your commute. But wondering just how a carpool or a vanpool works? Check out these tips.

Carpooling

• Carpooling is a simple concept where two or more people share a ride to a common destination, like work or school.
• Some carpool groups rotate drivers and cars, which helps reduce the wear and tear on vehicles.
• Some carpool groups rely on one driver and their car, pitching in money to cover the cost of gas and tolls.
• Carpoolers can meet at an FDOT Park & Ride lot. Free parking is available on a first come first served basis. Read more about Park & Ride lots.
• It can be tricky to find someone who is both your neighbor and a co-worker. Thankfully, you can use the reThink Your Commute app to connect with potential carpool matches. Join or sign in to get started.

Vanpooling

• What’s the difference between carpooling and vanpooling? With vanpooling, a group of four or more people lease a vehicle specifically for the purpose of commuting to work.
• All expenses are split among the vanpoolers – meaning more savings for you throughout the month.
• Wondering who drives? You do! A primary vanpool driver is designated, though it is advised to identify back-up drivers as well.
• The vanpool group sets the schedule and designs the route. Often groups meet at a Park & Ride lot, where they park their personal vehicles and transfer to the van to complete their trip.
• Ready to ride? Let us know and we will connect you to your local vanpool provider to secure a vehicle.
• Plus, if your vanpool travels along I-4 where the I-4 Express lanes are available, you’ll travel for free once your vehicle is registered.

Riding on I-4 Express

Pre-registered vanpools and buses are allowed to use I-4 Express for free!

New managed lanes on Interstate 4 (I-4), known locally as I-4 Express, are opening in early 2022.

I-4 Express is a limited-access toll road within the interstate. These optional travel lanes are physically separated from the non-tolled general use lanes by concrete barrier walls with limited access points allowing drivers to merge in and out of the managed lanes. Once open, I-4 Express will offer two tolled lanes in each direction in the center of I-4, spanning all 21 miles of the I-4 Ultimate corridor from west of Kirkman Road (State Road 435) to east of State Road 434.

I-4 Express gives Central Florida’s drivers another choice to avoid congestion and reduce stress on their daily commute to work. Some benefits of the new I-4 Express include:

• Lessening Stress – I-4 Express is designed to keep traffic moving, which provides more reliable and predictable travel times.
• Saving Time – I-4 Express can help you skip the traffic when traveling through the busiest interstate corridor in Central Florida.

To help commuters make the most of this new travel option, pre-registered vanpools and buses qualify for a toll exemption on I-4 Express, but they must first register and then renew annually. Vanpools must have an active and properly mounted SunPass or another interoperable transponder, as no cash or TOLL-BY-PLATE is accepted. For more information on I-4 Express, visit i4express.com.