An employer vanpool program that has started providing transportation to local businesses will be the focus of an upcoming open house.
The program is offered in Columbus by the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority (CIRTA), which had already been serving Marion County and eight surrounding counties, said Andrew McGee, the agency’s interim director.
CIRTA currently operates vanpools for individuals who work at Cummins Inc. and Faurecia Clean Mobility, but live in Indianapolis or Greenwood, McGee said.
Employers such as NTN Driveshaft and Rightway Fasteners Inc. have also shown interest in the vanpool program, he said.
The session will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Nov. 8 in the Cal Brand meeting room at Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St. Individuals who attend will be able to learn how the vanpool program works, said Laura Thayer, director of the Columbus Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and transportation planner with the city.
In addition to Thayer, CIRTA outreach representative and vanpool coordinator Heather White and a representative from Enterprise will attend the open house. A presentation is planned.
The program managed by CIRTA will cover all work shifts and is open to all employers in the Columbus area. It is also available to individuals who live in another county but work in Columbus, Thayer said.
An agreement between the city and CIRTA, based in Indianapolis, was reached in May for the three-year pilot program. CIRTA has already contacted businesses in the Woodside Industrial Park area and is starting to organize vanpools, Thayer said.
The vanpool consists of five to 15 people who are responsible for splitting fuel costs. The program also arranges emergency ride homes for participants in which they can receive up to five free rides a year.
“We want to make it known to people who are interested in using it,” Thayer said.
When the city was developing its long-range transportation plan two years ago, members of the public expressed a need for transportation to the Woodside Industrial Park, Thayer said. Columbus had considered adding a city bus route in the Walesboro area, but determined it would be too expensive, she said.
NTN Driveshaft is currently looking to identify employees who live in a particular area who might be able to take advantage of the program, said Barry Parkhurst, vice president of administration of NTN Driveshaft.
“We really see it as being a benefit for current and potential employees,” Parkhurst said.
NTN Driveshaft this month announced a $90 million planned expansion at its facility, 8251 S. International Drive.
The company, which manufactures driveshaft components, plans to add 74 jobs by the end of 2020 as part of the expansion that will increase space and add new manufacturing equipment.
Forty-five percent of NTN Driveshaft’s current workforce comes directly from Bartholomew County, while the company also has employees from Jackson and Johnson counties and cities such as North Vernon in Jennings County, Parkhurst said.
The company is in the process of developing a marketing and advertising campaign to let employees know about the vanpool program, he said.
Under the one-year agreement, Columbus is paying CIRTA an amount not to exceed $21,000 annually to cover administrative costs.
The operating cost of each vanpool will be covered 65 percent by the city and the remaining 35 percent by participating employers, Thayer said. The city’s share will be reimbursed by federal funds.
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What: Employer vanpool open house
When: 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday
Where: Cal Brand meeting room at Columbus City Hall, 123 Washington St.
More information: Visit columbus.in.gov/planning/commuter-connect/
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