van pool

American  

noun

1. a type of car pool utilizing a van that can usually transport 6 to 15 passengers: often provided by a company for its commuting employees for a nominal charge or at cost.

---

Other Word Forms

• van pooling noun

Etymology

Origin of van pool

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Starting in November 2014, Lundy was commuting by van pool from his home in Kingston to Bothell, back to Kingston, then on to Bremerton to work in the shop on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 27, 2022

Department of Transportation, which offers up to a $400 a month subsidy for each van pool.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 7, 2018

Ride Free Express proposed to eliminate all transit and van pool fares, increase commute-time bus service and fund 4,000 additional van pools to serve the new employment centers.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 7, 2016

A van pool started by a single Googler in 2004 has turned into a massive system of private buses that hum with the clicks of laptop computers hooked into the onboard Wi-Fi.

From Reuters • Jun. 1, 2012

Take the bus, ride a bike, take a walk, join a van pool, take the train.

From Time Magazine Archive