Glossary

Carpool: Two or more commuters sharing a ride in a private vehicle to and from work or school, either using one vehicle and sharing expenses, or rotating the vehicle used so that no money changes hands.

Commuter Tax Benefit: Employers can provide their employees with up to $230.00 per month in tax-free transit/vanpool/parking benefits.

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV): Any passenger vehicle that carries two or more passengers. Examples include buses, carpools, and vanpools.

Ridesharing: Two or more people sharing their commute to and from work. Carpools, vanpools, and public transportation (i.e., buses, trains, and subways) are all examples of ridesharing.

Transportation Management Initiative (TMI): A cooperative effort of the local business community and an agency or organization established to implement transportation solutions for a designated business community and/or area.

Transportation Demand Management (TDM): Transportation strategies that focus on reducing vehicle trips rather than increasing the supply of roads. Commuter assistance, transit incentives, and flexible work times are examples.

Vanpool: A group of five or more passengers (up to 15, including the driver) who commute together in a van. A member of the group usually volunteers as the main driver/coordinator, while one or two others serve as back-up driver. The vanpool riders each pay a monthly fare that includes a share of the van's operating costs. Vanpools can be owned and operated by an individual, employer-sponsored with the company owning and maintaining the vehicle, or provided through a third party leasing arrangement (such as South Florida vanpools). A $400 subsidy per vanpool is provided by the Miami-Dade MPO and supported by the MPO's in Broward and Palm Beach Counites.