This is in response to the letter from Raymond Eberth, Aug. 1. Before you write a letter such as you did, perhaps it would be wise to get all the facts first. The Island Transit vanpool program is not a free program. All vanpools are charged a fee based on the number of miles they travel and that fare is divided amongst all the riders in the van. It is a not-for- profit program so the fee is structured to cover the insurance, maintenance, fuel and lease of the van.

While Boeing vanpools make up a small percentage of the vans on the road, there are even more that are military vanpools, men and women that not only travel from Everett, Marysville, Burlington and even Bremerton to NAS Whidbey Island but also vanpools that travel from Whidbey Island to Naval Station Everett and to Bremerton. There are also vanpools that travel to Seattle, the Eastside like Bellevue, Redmond, and Issaquah, Everett, Burlington and from one end of Whidbey to another. There are also vanpools on Camano Island traveling to many of those same cities. All in all, over 70 vanpools on the road.

Think of what it would be like on the roads if all those people drove alone. These vanpools are not only taking SOVs (single occupancy vehicles) off the road but they are saving gas, decreasing the traffic and congestion on our freeways and highways, and decreasing our effect on the environment. Why would anyone want to put an end to something like this that benefits so many?

Many of the larger companies and the military subsidize a portion of the vanpool fare for their employees the rest of it comes out of the vanpool rider’s own pocket and it is the military that is perhaps the best subsidized. Island Transit and the taxpayers do not pay for these employees unless you believe that by paying taxes you are paying the salary of military personnel then I guess you do pay for them, but only them.

Staci Jordan

Oak Harbor