Perimeter CIDs Launch ‘Rapid Ride’ to Expand Commuter Access with Vanpool Program

The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (Perimeter CIDs), in partnership with Commute with Enterprise and in conjunction with the long-standing vanpool program through the Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority (ATL), has launched Rapid Ride, a new vanpooling pilot program designed to provide employees commuting to the Perimeter area with a cost-effective and dependable transportation alternative.

Developed in response to shifting regional transit patterns, Rapid Ride offers a new option for how metro Atlanta workers can access one of the Southeast’s most concentrated employment centers. The program supports longer-distance travel by forming shared rides based on where participants live and when they work.

“Our goal is to keep Perimeter connected to the regional talent pool while offering more practical and affordable options for employees and employers alike,” said Ann Hanlon, Executive Director of the Perimeter CIDs. “Rapid Ride represents an investment in reliable access to jobs, especially for those who cannot access existing transit options due to home locations or work schedules.”

Affordable, All-Inclusive Commute for Perimeter Employees

Each Rapid Ride vanpool brings together 4 to 8 riders with similar schedules and home locations. Riders pay a flat monthly fare of $75, which covers all vehicle expenses, including insurance, fuel, maintenance, and roadside assistance. Express Lane access is also included.

The low-cost commuting option is made possible through funding from the Perimeter CIDs, which has committed over $380,000 to subsidize vanpool costs. The ATL also supports commuters with a regional vanpool program, assisting with formation and offsetting some of the associated costs. This partnership will reduce vanpool startup costs and subsidize the monthly fare for riders, allowing participants to pay a fraction of the $170 monthly out-of-pocket expenses that commuters across the nation typically face (Coast, The Cost of Commuting Around the U.S.).

Perimeter Connects, the Perimeter CIDs’ commute program, in partnership with Commute with Enterprise, will manage the Rapid Ride program by working with employers and commuters to match riders and form vanpools based on where people live and when they work.

“We’re launching the program as a pilot, but our goal is long-term impact and a lasting option for the Perimeter market,” said Nikki Washington, Perimeter Connects Program Manager. “We help match employees into vanpools based on where they live and when they work, so the service fits into their routine. It’s a simple way to make commuting more affordable and accessible.”

“Vanpooling gives commuters time back in their day and helps them save on transportation costs,” said Sirus Karimi, Vice President of Commute with Enterprise. “We work closely with employers and public agency partners to offer convenient vanpool programs that support more sustainable commuting, help fill transit service gaps, and reduce congestion while helping employers offer a competitive benefit that can attract and retain talent.”

Sign-Ups Now Open for Pilot Routes

Rapid Ride is now accepting sign-ups. Service will launch in corridors with the highest levels of interest from employees traveling to Perimeter. For more information or to register interest, visit: www.perimeterconnects.com/perimeter-rapid-ride.

About Perimeter Community Improvement Districts

For more than two decades, the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (Perimeter CIDs) has been leading the charge to bring vital transportation improvements that enhance mobility and access within the Perimeter district, an “edge city” where Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, and Brookhaven converge. Representing both the DeKalb (Central) Perimeter CID and Fulton Perimeter CID, the Perimeter CIDs are self-taxing districts that useadditional commercial property taxes to help accelerate needed transportation and infrastructure improvement projects. Learn more: PerimeterATL.com/perimeter-cids/.

About Commute with Enterprise Part of Enterprise Mobility

Commute with Enterprise is one of the largest and most cost-effective vanpool providers in the U.S. In 2024, Commute with Enterprise served more than 60,000 commuters, took more than 50,000 single-occupancy vehicles off the road each day, helped eliminate more than 1 billion commuter miles in the U.S, and reduced 405,000+ metric tons of tailpipe CO2e*. This commuting solution offers customizable vanpool programs to help overcome commuting and transit desert challenges.

*Estimates based on 2023 Enterprise reporting and U.S EPA Calculator, and assuming participants previously drove alone.

About ATL (Atlanta-Region Transit Link Authority):

The ATL was created by the Georgia General Assembly during the 2018 legislative session to provide coordinated transit planning and funding for the metro Atlanta region. The ATL is responsible for developing the ATL Regional Transit Plan, as well as identifying and prioritizing the projects and initiatives required to develop region-wide transit. The ATL is also charged with creating a unified regional transit system brand. Effective July 1, 2020, the ATL was legislatively authorized to oversee the state’s Xpress regional commuter transit system and the Atlanta region’s vanpool system. The population of metro Atlanta is growing rapidly and projected to add an additional 2.5 million residents by 2040. The ATL is a critical step towards more efficient and effective transit and mobility in the region. For more information on Xpress and the ATL, visit our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.