Vanpooling to jobs may be in future
Company gives presentation on commuting
II i I m I i i i I i I m I I I h i i i II i I h i II
Bessie W et/ell Newspaper Library
University o f Oregon
Eugene, OR 97403
«
VOL. 127
NO. 27
8 Pages
Wednesday, July 2,2008
By David Sykes
A company that spe
cializes in setting up and
supplying vans to groups
o f workers who commute
gave a presentation in Hep-
pner last week. They met
with around 20 workers to
explain their program.
V ictor Spencer o f
VPSI, Folsom , CA, said
his company is the nation's
oldest, largest and most ex-
Morrow County, Heppner, Oregon
tone ’s Annual 4th of July Celebration
perieneed vanpool provider
with over 5,000 vanpools
in serv ice in the U nited
States.
S p e n c e r cam e to
Heppner at the invitation
o f the Willow Creek Valley
E conom ic D ev elo p m en t
Group (WCVEDG), and the
Heppner Chamber o f Com
merce as part o f an etfort to
help people who live in the
Heppner, lone and Lexing
ton area save money while
commuting to w ork in the Victor Spencer of VPSI, Inc. shows one of the vans that
north end ot Morrow and could be used in vanpooling if enough local workers are
Umatilla counties.
interested. -Photo by Dave Sykes
A 2003 study done by WCVEDG showed at that time there w ere over 100 w ork-
ers living in this area and commuting to the north end. WCVEDG would like to bolster
the local economy and keep people in our communities by helping those people who
work in Boardman, Irrigon and Hermiston live here if they w ant to.
“Especially with the rising cost o f gasoline, vanpooling can save workers sub
stantial amounts o f money,” Spencer said. The company pays all the van expenses and
then charges the riders monthly. The actual savings would depend on the size o f the
van and the total miles the workers commute. See table. For instance, a 15-person van
commuting 45 miles one way five days per week would cost a worker $156 per month
including gasoline at $4.45 per gallon.
The w ay the program works is the company w ill meet w ith groups o f w orkers
who may work in the same area with similar working hours, etc. The company would
help set up schedules, then contracts with a primary driver who runs the van, collects
the fees, and does the driving. For handling the driving and administrative duties the
driver normally receives free or reduced expenses for his seat on the van. The rest o f
the workers split up the cost among themselves.
VPSI pays all expenses including maintenance, insurance and gasoline and the
group o f workers pays VPSI on a monthly basis. There are seven, nine, 12. and 15 pas
senger vans av ailable. There are also certain economic benefits to employers who might
participate in the vanpool.
Sheryll Bates, executive director of the Heppner Chamber o f Commerce, is in
charge o f coordinating the v anpooling program, and anyone who is interested, or just
wants more information, should call her at 676-5536, or email at heppnerchamberfu
centurytel.net.
The website for VPSI iswww.vpsiinc.com for anyone who would like more
information on the vanpooling company.
Sample Rates
021843310201
Thursday. July 3rd
July 3rd - July 5th
Friday. July 4th
7 - 1 0 a.m.
8 a.m.
10 a.m.
11 a.m.
12 p.m.
Annual Golf Tournament at China Creek Golf
Course in Arlington. $50 per person. Start
time 8 a.m. Contact Craig Holland, 422-7455,
for more information.
Evening Events at the lone City Park: Music,
Food and Drink, plus Golf Awards
Paintball Extravaganza! $15 per person (in
cludes rental of semi-automatic paintball marker,
goggles, 100 paintballs and up to two hours
playtime). Open play field times all three days:
9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. at the field across
Willow Creek at the bonfire site.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!
Firemen’s Breakfast
Dawn’s Early Light 5K Run Run/Walk
Topic Club Book and Button Sale
Fish Pond*
Altar Society Pie Sale
Monthly
C o st
M onthly
Per Person
Per P e rso n
Gas
W/ G A S
1458
208
440
4 45
271
1930
1375
-175
567
240
1980
1980
1980
1565
1696
1669
130
175
111
677
677
677
156
3080
1717
245
635
343
3080
1858
206
913
308
3080
3080
3080
1848
2031
1992
154
1054
1054
1054
242
Incentive
1-way mil
Heppner Sample Rates
M onthly
Miles
Rat«
1980
Per Pers
New Rat«
W /
Incentive
S u b sid y
New Rat«
W /
S u b sid y
121
145
133
166
22C
203
VPsi Int
Sample monthly rates for various size vans traveling different commute miles.
Renovations underway at
Pioneer Memorial Hospital
1 p.m. Red, White and Blues Parade and
12th Annual Blues Cruise A Clas
sic Car Show. Contact Chuck Nelson,
After parade
2:30 p.m.
989-8148, for registration form and additional
information on the cruise/car show.
Bingo
Talent Show
CRUISIN' TO THE BLUES MUSIC
featuring John Lee Hooker, J r.,
lone All Stars (with special guest),
JR Sims and Texas Special, and
Baseline. Music funded-by the Morrow
County Unified Recreation District.
Boat Trip Auction
lone’s 60th Anniversary of 4th of
July FIREWORKS DISPLAY honoring
lone's W W II Veterans (the original crew)
Other fun events during the day: Frog Jump
ing, Straw Money Pile, Dunk Tank, Pie
Throwing, Ducky Races, Rodeo Court Raffle,
Horseshoes, Volleyball, and Free Swimming!
Renovations are underway at Pioneer Memorial Hospital to accommodate lonu term care pa-
tients. See Morrow County llealth District story on page three. Photo by Autumn Morgan
All MCGG stores and facilities will be
CLOSED July 4th, 5th and 6th.*
H a ve a h a p p y a n d safe 4th of J u ly !
Gazette-Times closed for 4,h of July
The Heppner Gazette-Times h ill he closed on Friday, July 4.
Harvest hours start July 7th: Mon-Fri 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sat 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Morrow County Grain Growers
Lexington 989-8221 • 1-800-452-7396
For farm equipment visit our wrb sit* at www m t « net