Vanpool stops Friday, commissioners request report

The final days of Vamonos Vanpool, an El Paso County sponsored program meant to reduce traffic and pollution, are here.

County Commissioner Pat Abeln says the Vamonos Vanpool program operating since 2008 had good intentions, but didn’t work out as planned due to poor management.

“TxDOT has indicated that the county is not meeting Federal Highway Administration standards,” Commissioner Abeln said.

He and other commissioners unanimously decided on Monday to suspend operations as of Friday, and entirely suspend the program by the end of the month.

“There’s been a lack of oversight, a lack of accountability, a lack of notification,” County Judge Veronica Escobar said to Family and Community Services Director Rosemary Neill, who oversees the program.

Funding for Vamonos Vanpool is trickled down to El Paso county. Money initially comes from the FHWA’S Congestion Mitigation Air Quality and Monthly Subsidy, which is passed down to TxDOT. Texas Department of Transportation reimburses the county after being billed, and the county gives money to VPSI Incorporated, the company that maintains and operates the leased vans.

If the program were to continue through the contract set to expire in January 2015, the estimated cost to the county would be more than $314,000. With more than $290,000 in reimbursements refused by TxDOT for improper documentation of ridership and use, that means taxpayers would foot a bill of more than $600,000.

Commissioner Abeln says a report compiled by county staff about the program will be presented to the court on Monday, and they’ll see if they can consider bringing the same or similar vanpool to the county again.

“There’s probably a number of people who use this program in good faith that have been caught off guard,” Commissioner Abeln said.