First All-Electric Vanpools in the United States Begin Commuter Service at L.A. Metro

LOS ANGELES--()--Under contract with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro), the California-based benefit corporation Green Commuter has successfully launched six all-electric vanpools under Metro’s subsidized vanpool program.

Green Commuter is the first US-based company to offer electric vehicles for public transit vanpool programs. In August of 2018, the company was approved as a vendor under Metro’s Vanpool Supplier Bench program. The agency’s vanpool program offers an economical and environmentally-friendly ridesharing option to approximately 10,000 commuters. For more than ten years Metro has operated one of the largest vanpool programs in the United States. Green Commuter’s zero-emission vehicles offered through Metro’s program serve six distinct groups commuting from Los Angeles County origin points including Redondo Beach, Palmdale, Rancho Cucamonga and Corona del Mar.

Incorporating electric vehicles into Metro’s vanpool program fulfills a goal outlined in the Metro Vision 2028 Strategic Plan. The first goal of that plan is to, “Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time travelling.” Green Commuter’s all-electric option for Metro’s vanpool program reduces travel time, reduces the number of single occupant vehicles on roadways, and directly engages commuters in regional sustainability objectives, including:

• SCAG RTP/SCS greenhouse gas reduction targets

• SCAQMD’s ozone and criteria pollutant targets

• Climate action plans of numerous LA County municipalities

• LA Sustainable City pLAn’s mode-shift targets

Green Commuter’s zero-emission solution further supports ambitious state-level goals such as AB 32 and SB 375.

“The Metro Vanpool Program is one of the largest publicly funded vanpool programs in the country and helps thousands of people travel to and from work each day,” said L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. “These new electric vanpool vehicles make for a truly green commute. Overall, our program is helping take 6,000 cars off the road every weekday and further reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Every Metro commuter who participates in the Vanpool Program is an Environmental Hero!”

“Green Commuter is about democratizing the electric vehicle and making it affordable to the broader population. With Green Commuter’s model, people of all income levels can now drive a zero-emission vehicle to work every day while saving money," said Gustavo Occhiuzzo, Chief Executive Officer of Green Commuter.

Green Commuter is on track to deploy additional vanpools in the coming year for a total expanded fleet size of 82 units by the end of 2019.

Metro has approximately 1,300 total vanpools; Metro’s Vanpool program was introduced in 2007.

About Metro

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is unique among the nation’s transportation agencies. Created in 1993, Metro is a multimodal transportation agency that transports about 1.3 million passengers daily on a fleet of 2,200 clean air buses and six rail lines. The agency also oversees bus, rail, highway and other mobility-related building projects and leads transportation planning and programming for Los Angeles County.

Stay informed by following Metro on The Source and El Pasajero at metro.net, facebook.com/losangelesmetro, twitter.com/metrolosangeles and twitter.com/metroLAalerts and instagram.com/metrolosangeles.

About Green Commuter

Green Commuter is a certified B Corporation with a mission to decrease the cost of commuting, help alleviate traffic and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Green Commuter’s vision is focused on providing clean transportation options to commuters. According to estimates informed by a well-to-wheel analysis conducted by the Air Resources Board, a Green Commuter all-electric vehicle emits 9.5 times less GHG than one gasoline-powered van and 45.8 times less GHG than 7 gasoline-powered cars.

Contacts

Anthony Chuong
Green Commuter Public Relations
achuong@greencommuter.org

Dave Sotero
Metro Media Relations
soterod@metro.net

Release Summary

Green Commuter has successfully launched six all-electric vanpools under Los Angeles Metro’s subsidized vanpool program.

Contacts

Anthony Chuong
Green Commuter Public Relations
achuong@greencommuter.org

Dave Sotero
Metro Media Relations
soterod@metro.net