Romance, political debates and friendship are among the perks for those who ride the van pool that runs from Great Falls into Washington, DC during the work week. Other benefits are helping to support the environment by using fewer natural resources, and saving time and money on the commute into work.
The vanpool out of Great Falls was created by Darrell Beschen 17 years ago and has a loyal ridership. He and his wife first began commuting together when they lived in Old Town, Alexandria. “Both of us were workaholics. Having to leave at a certain time put some discipline in our lives,” said Beschen. “When we came to Great Falls we just sort of tried it and it worked fine,” he said of the van pool.
The number of residents availing themselves of this commuter option pulses a bit, according to Beschen. “It’s around 10 to 12 now. Before HOV [high occupancy vehicles] we had 15 people,” Beschen said.
Two of his drop-outs are Tom Howder and Trisha Dedrick. The pair met while riding to work in the van pool and eventually struck up a romance and are now married. They now commute together in their own car but have fond memories of the van pool.
The van pool members grow so close over time they often share in each others events outside of commuting. Members of the van pool, for example, were invited to Howder and Dedrick’s wedding.
“This is more like a co-op than a business. It’s a social community to tell the truth,” said Beschen. “There’s a lot of sharing and talking. It’s its own water cooler. It’s like a morning talk show, we share experiences and talk about what’s going on.”
“WE’VE GOT A DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE, people at different agencies and with different backgrounds and with very different political views. This is Washington, DC after all. We have lively talks about everything. That’s one of the best things about the ride. The talks. You’ll hear something from someone that you would never read in the newspaper,” said Beschen.
“It was a lot of fun. There’s a variety of people from different agencies. On Friday’s its a mini-happy hour atmosphere,” said Howder. There’s no alcohol on the van pool but riders, according to Howder, loosen up on that day in anticipation of the weekend.
The Great Falls van pool comes under the auspices of Commuter Connections, a regional network of transportation organizations. It was originally established in 1974 as the Commuter Club but has grown and expanded over the years.
Nicholas Ramfos, with Commuter Connections said, “There are a number of benefits to the van pool. There are pretty good savings and with the price of gas these days, everybody is looking to save a buck or two. In terms of individual benefits, there’s lower stress and higher productivity because you can use that time catching up on work or sleep instead of fighting traffic. There are tax advantages for the private sector, too. And for employees it’s a tax free benefit,” said Ramfos.
“Communities stand to benefit as well. There’s less wear and tear on the roads and less congestion. This is a good way to help manage demand on the roadway. It’s not how you build the road, it’s how you manage it,” said Ramfos.
THE VAN POOL COSTS $100 A MONTH but there is a program in place that helps defer the costs of ridership. “Here’s the cool thing about it. About a year ago Metro and the government worked out a deal with Metro so employees could get Metro checks. Metro then worked it out for the van pool so I can take Metro checks,” said Beschen. Metro checks can be equal to the cost of the service, depending on the stipend available to the employee through their employer.
“Anybody in the community who wants to ride can come do it for a week. They try it and see if it works for them. And also we try to make sure it’s going to fit socially with the group,” said Beschen. “If I’m going to be with folks for that ride, benign is fine, but fun is great.”
Some people use the van pool for a short period of time because of an immediate but fleeting need. The author of The Red Spy Queen, Kathryn Olmstead, was living in Great Falls while she researched her book on Elizabeth Bentley. She used the van pool to commute instead of getting a car. “Instead of paying me for the time, she wasn’t there long, she acknowledge the van pool in her book,” said Beschen.
Anyone signed up with the van pool is eligible for free taxi rides home three or four times a year. “Occasionally, things happen and you need to get home. The taxi ride takes care of that,” said Beschen.
The van pool also has its own Poet Laureate. “He is declared by us to be the Poet Laureate of the vanpool because on a whim, periodically, he’d write a verse or two about people in the van. It’s like a friendly roast,” said Beschen.
Membership into the van pool has mainly been through word of mouth. It’s registered with Commuter Connections so residents would be directed there if they contacted that organization. There are two pickups in the morning. The van pool starts at St. Francis Church on Georgetown Pike at 7:15 a.m. and then proceeds to the Springhill Rec Center on Lewinsville Road. “It does make you punctual. You have to come and go on time,” said Howder.
“We then zip down [Rt.] 66. It saves aggravation, about 15 minutes and mental health,” Beschen said of the ability to tool into town on the high-occupancy lane.
THERE ARE SEVERAL DROP OFF SITES IN THE CITY. “I drop people off essentially at the World Bank, around the Roosevelt Bridge, along Constitution Avenue and at the Justice Department and IRS,” said Beschen who ends the drip at the Department of Energy where he works as an economist. Interested parties can contact Beschen at (202) 586-1732 for more information.
Van pool riders apparently get hooked on the experience. Beschen said, “The turnover we have is basically lifestyle. Almost exclusively lifestyle. People move, have kids, retire, things like that. We always welcome new people.”