Tips & Etiquette > Pierce Transit

Vanpool Tips and Etiquette

Here are some tips and etiquette to help make your vanpooling experience seamless and stress-free!

Determine your route and schedule. Establish pickup points and times. Communicate this information to new riders.
Be punctual. Decide how long the driver and/or fellow vanpoolers are expected to wait. Consistently enforce so riders know what to expect.
Keep a contact list. Create and keep a current contact list for members of your van.
Establish a chain of communication. If a driver will not be commuting to work in the van on a given day, coordinate with the other driver(s) to ensure members of the vanpool will have a ride. Likewise, if a rider will not be riding the van, let the driver(s) know as soon as possible.
Share the driving. Create a schedule for approved drivers to alternate driving. This avoids placing the driving responsibility on one person, leading to driver burn-out.
Establish group rules. Radio station and volume; food and drinks; personal cell phone use, etc. Your vanpool will have a better chance of success if potential issues are discussed initially, and openly.
Keep the van clean. Everyone should remove their own trash. The group is allowed up to $30 monthly for van cleaning.
Plan for maintenance. Drivers, to keep your van in top operating performance, it is important to stay on schedule with service. Please plan to swap vans within two business days of notification by arranging drop off and pickup with other drivers in the van.
Have a backup plan. Check with your employer to see if they offer an emergency ride home. If not, contact us for information on Pierce Transit’s Emergency Ride Home program.
Know your resources. Visit our website, piercetransit.org, for resources such as applications and agreements, how to recruit vanpool riders, fare charts, and vanpool rewards. Our Vanpool Manual provides details about our policies and procedures.

Trip Planner Help

Trip Planner Tips - Entering Locations

To create a trip plan you need to enter both a starting location (origin) and an ending location (destination). For information about stops, schedules, or service at a specific location, you only need to enter one location.

The Trip Planner recognizes most street intersections and addresses as well as many landmarks in Pierce, King, and Snohomish Counties. If what you entered is not immediately recognized, the Trip Planner will offer you a list of options. You can choose one of the options, but if your intended location is not there, select the "Revise Original Entries" link to return to the entry page and change the entries you have already made.

Addresses

You don't need to type in the city along with the address. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type 110 Jones instead of 110 Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 1000 Main instead of 1000 S Main. But type 1000 West Viewmont for 1000 West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets and addresses are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby location, such as an intersection or a landmark.
You should not enter the suite number or apartment number. Just the house number and street name (Example: type in 401 Broadway instead of 401 Broadway Avenue Suite 800).

Intersections

The "&" symbol is the only character used between two street names to show an intersection. (Examples: 1st & B, James & Madison)
You don't need to type in the city. The Trip Planner shows the possible city names as options if needed. City names are based on zip codes.
You don't need to type in St., Street, Ave., or Avenue, or similar street types. The Trip Planner shows the possible alternatives as options if needed. (Example: type Conifer & Jones instead of Conifer Circle & Jones Boulevard.)
You don't need to type in the directional designations for streets, but if a direction name is part of a street name, you should include it. (Example: type 3rd & Main instead of 3rd S & S Main. But type 34th & West Viewmont for 34th W & West Viewmont Way W.)
Some streets are unknown to the Trip Planner. You may need to enter another nearby intersection or a landmark.

Landmarks

Government Sites: Pierce County Health Dept, Pierce Co Sheriffs Office, Tacoma City Hall

Major Commercial Sites: Tacoma Mall, Sheraton Hotel

Transportation Facilities: Sea-Tac Airport, Greyhound Bus Depot

Schools & Colleges: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma Community College

Sports & Leisure: Cheney Stadium, Pt Defiance Zoo

Medical Facilities: Group Health, Tacoma General Hospital