Baldwin County implementing ‘vanpooling’ system to help local employees get to work
BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — Public transportation is limited in Baldwin County.
Baldwin Regional Area Transit System Director Ann Simpson said the county needs more public transportation options.
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“I met with some HR professionals in the north part of the county and the south part of the county, and they say that the largest contributing factor to getting employees to work is transportation,” Simpson said.
BRATS currently offers 400 rides a day — and the demand continues to grow — taxing the system. That’s why BRATS is now partnering with Commute with Enterprise, a new ride-share program for the area.
“We will form a vanpool of five to 12 employees that live in the same general area and work at the same location, and they will form a vanpool and the cost of the vanpool will be split between the Baldwin County Commission and the employers,” Simpson said.
Participants can choose their ride from Commute with Enterprise’s fleet, which includes crossovers, SUVs, minivans and large passenger vans.
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Simpson said it’s a win-win for everyone.
“It’ll just provide more reliable transportation to employees and especially down on the coastal area because parking is so limited,” Simpson said. “If those businesses can get five to 10 employees in one vehicle, it helps them in that way also.”
Simpson also said that Enterprise will determine the driver per group, and that person will have to have a background check and a valid driver’s license.
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