My wife rides a metro van pool from westside to Exxon campus daily. Metro called them yesterday and said van pool is cancelled immediately and to leave to van on campus and everybody to find their own way home. They gave no explanation and the van pool support number was even shut down. Anybody else on here ride a van pool and have this happen? Bit of a dick move from metro.

Curious there is no indication on Metro's media sites or via public news channels of the Metro STAR van pool program being shutdown and still post very visibly to call 713-224-RIDE (7433).

By chance is it only your wife's van pool that has been cancelled, may be due to driver or rider cancellations?

Someone shared this yesterday

Wait, so how does this work? Anyone can drive the van? Who is allowed to ride it?

Covid and the subsequent hybrid work schedule effectively killed our van pools, but yes, one of the employees/riders had to drive the van. I think our last hold out finally ended when the driver retired and no one else wanted to do it.

IIRC, the driver got a reduced rate. As people dropped out of the van pool, it raised the price for those left.

Did the vans have some kind of recall that scared Metro into shutting it down for safety reasons? Very strange.

I rode vanpool from Pearland to downtown for a number of years. It was great. We had two or three riders that were approved as drivers and they would take turns.

DOGE casualty?

They all rotate as drivers so great for her just to relax on days she doesn't have to drive. It's lot cheaper than driving but still enough the metro should atleast break even. Theory is it's doge related but baffling why metro went completely silent. Was hoping the magic of Texags had the secret info.

I don't use it, but my work sent out a message and gave the reason below.

"This suspension will remain in effect until their provider, Airport Van Rental, can supply valid proof of liability insurance covering METRO Star vanpools."

I know some posters are praying it's doge related. But, along that same token, local leaders would absolutely be pointing the finger at doge for leaving people stranded if that was the case. They wouldn't miss a chance to try and criticize Elon.

Anything that takes cars off the road they seem to cut and it's suspicious to me -

Makes lot of sense being Insurance related. Thanks for the update.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/transportation/article/metro-vanpool-suspended-20325234.php

Quote:

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What caused the disruption at Metro Star Vanpool?

In a statement Tuesday, Metro said the interruption was triggered by a "lapse in required liability insurance documentation from the contractor providing the Vanpool vehicles."

"While this issue lies with the contractor, Metro holds the safety and well-being of our passengers as our highest priority," an agency spokesperson wrote in a statement. "We have made the decision to suspend Vanpool service until the matter is fully resolved."

No timeline has been given for when the service will be restored.

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So, what happens if the people that use it laugh and keep using it? Are they going to remotely shut down the vehicles?