AATA OKs Vehicle Purchase for Vanpool

The purchase of about two dozen 2013 Dodge Caravans at $21,356 apiece – as part of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority’s vanpool program – was authorized by the board of the AATA board at its Nov. 15, 2012 meeting. The funds used for the 25 vans come from federal and state sources.

At the board’s Jan. 19, 2012 meeting, the AATA board had previously authorized the purchase of seven Dodge Caravans (model year 2012) for $21,272 each (total = $148,904), with an option to purchase up to a total of 25 vans (total = $531,800). That vehicle purchase was preceded by an authorization given over a year ago, on Sept. 15, 2011, to contract with VPSI Inc. to administer the AATA’s vanpool program.

According to a staff memo accompanying the Nov. 15 resolution, the AATA currently has 23 vanpools in operation, and on average, these vanpools commute 90 miles per work day. The AATA expects to continue to grow its VanRide program to 100 vans over the next three years.

Vanpools are arrangements in which a vehicle is provided through the service, but is driven by one of the members of the pool. Riders pay for operational costs. Currently, the MichiVan program, operated by VPSI, also provides such a service. However, MichiVan is only providing vanpool service for existing vanpools in the Ann Arbor area. AATA is handling demand for new vanpools. And as MichiVan vehicles reach the end of their useful life, MichiVan vanpools will transition to the AATA’s service.

This brief was filed from the downtown location of the Ann Arbor District Library at 343 S. Fifth Ave., where the AATA board holds its meetings. A more detailed report will follow: [link]