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Carpool/Vanpool Parking Programs Case Study
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San Francisco, California The Carpool and Vanpool Parking Programs provide preferential on-street parking to certified carpools and vanpools within designated parking areas. Operated by the San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic, the programs were adopted through local ordinance as part of the traffic code. The Carpool Program allows certified carpool vehicles to park in designated "carpool permit parking areas" adjacent to or surrounding participating workplaces. Qualifying institutions must have 200 or more employees and be located in an area that is primarily residential. Institutions wishing to participate must submit a proposal to the department requesting that a perimeter area be designated as a carpool permit parking area. The department then conducts a parking study, and holds public hearings, to determine the eligibility of the applicant and the area, and to define the boundaries of the area, time restrictions on parking, and the number of permits to be issued. To receive a carpool parking permit, commuters must submit an application to the participating institution's transportation coordinator, who reviews the appropriate information (names and addresses of participants, license number of vehicles, and places of employment). The annual fee for a carpool parking permit is $21. The department and the transportation coordinator of the participating institution are jointly responsible to ensure that the permit holders are actually carpools. Permit holders may park in designated, on-street spaces without charge for the entire workday. Designated spaces are reserved for carpool permit holders until 9:00 a.m. After 9:00 a.m., any vehicle may use the space, if unoccupied, although vehicles not permitted must observe a one-hour time limit. Eligible carpools must have three or more riders who commute from within San Francisco or from a suburb. Eligible riders may work at the institution for which the permit area is designated, or at another site, as long as it is within a half-mile of the designated carpool permit parking area. Permits are transferable among vehicles registered in the carpool. There are currently three designated carpool permit parking areas. A total of 73 permits have been issued, and 100 spaces have been reserved for these permitted carpools. The program, although small, is quite popular, and is considered successful. The Vanpool Permit Parking Program is a cooperative effort between the department and RIDES, a non-profit corporation established in 1977 providing commute assistance in the 10-county Bay Area. The department has designated six vanpool parking areas consisting of blocks or strips of metered on-street parking spaces. These areas are generally on the fringes of downtown, to help relieve traffic and parking congestion in the city center. Spaces are reserved for vanpool vehicles until 9:00 a.m., and permitted vanpool vehicles may park all day without charge (normally $1.00/hour) and without time limit (normally one hour). Eligible vanpools must have at least five riders who commute from outside of San Francisco. RIDES helps organize the riders, plan the route, obtain a van, and get insurance, and certifies the vehicle as a vanpool. Upon certification, the department issues a parking permit that is not transferable. For the convenience of riders, and as an added incentive, the department has also designated a one-block vanpool pick-up and drop-off area downtown. Currently there are 107 vehicles certified as vanpools, removing at least 400 vehicles from the roads during morning and evening rush hours. Quantification The Department of Parking and Traffic does not attempt to quantify emissions reductions realized from these programs. Quantification procedures for the Employee Commute Options (ECO) program as established by EPA may be followed. Further Information For further information, contact Jerry Robbins, San Francisco Department of Parking and Traffic, 415 554-2343. Similar Programs Several cities operate similar programs. Here are some:
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