Atlantic, Iowa – As businesses in the area continue to grow and commute costs continue to increase, Southwest Iowa Transit Agency (SWITA) is creating improvements to the transit system to attract workers to the area while reducing expenses for commuters. In partnership with Commute with Enterprise, SWITA is helping to continue to provide an innovative and sustainable shared mobility option: vanpooling.

The Commute program is a coordinated vanpool program available to people who live inside or outside of Cass, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Page, Pottawattamie, and Shelby counties and wish to access jobs in the area. The program coordinates participants who indicate their interest through various channels such as at their jobsite or via an online portal. The program then matches riders who have similar work shifts in similar areas and are interested in riding together. Each vanpool is customized to the specific needs of the group. Once four or more people are matched, a Commute with Enterprise representative will work with the group to identify needs and provide solutions. Commute with Enterprise provides the 7-15 passenger vehicle, insurance, maintenance, and ongoing support. SWITA chose to work with Commute with Enterprise to bring their expertise, scalability, and professionalism to the southwest Iowa region to ensure program success.

“Our new partnership with Enterprise allows SWITA to support the vanpool program and employment needs of local businesses in our community, while introducing our community to a proven, efficient form of public transportation,” said Mark Lander, Transit Director with SWITA.

The vanpool program will be partially subsidized by SWITA using local state and federal grant funds. The remaining cost is split among the employer and/or participants, with each vanpool rider paying a set fee per month. Enterprise will provide coordination services and technology, vehicles, liability insurance, scheduled vehicle maintenance, and 24-hour roadside assistance, as well as best practices for cleaning.

Participants can choose a qualifying vanpool vehicle from Enterprise’s selection of makes and models that includes crossovers, SUVs, minivans, and large passenger vans. Vanpoolers may choose to upgrade their vehicles with optional high-end features such as satellite radio and in-vehicle Wi-Fi service.

People who commute to or from the eight county southwest Iowa service area and are interested in joining the program can visit https://www.swita.com/services/work-routes/ or https://www.commutewithenterprise.com/content/commute/en/partners/swita.html.