This letter is directed to Mr. Raymond Eberth referring to his letter about the Island Transit vanpools on July 31.

I read his letter with great interest, and then I realized I was uneducated about vanpools, so I talked to Staci Jordan who works for Island Transit as a vanpool co-coordinator.

Here is the real skinny: The vanpool riders pay a fee which covers the van and maintenance making them self-sufficient. Island Transit has about 70 vanpools and only 15 to 20 carry Boeing workers. The rest go to the University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson, and even to Navy bases.

One of the questions I had for Staci was why I saw Island Transit vanpools sitting in line at the Port Townsend ferry with military guys in them, and she said there are 6 vans of Navy personnel who commute. So, I guess that blows Mr. Eberth’s theory all to hell about only high paid Boeing workers using the vanpools!

So, thank you Raymond for giving me a reason to educate myself about vanpools.

Terry Lindner

Coupeville