Together, We’re Driving it Forward
In addition to a passion for sharing the ride, the riders, drivers, clients, and staff of RideFinders share a desire to make a difference for commuters, employers, our planet, and our community.
Founded in 1994, RideFinders is St. Louis’ regional commuter carpool and vanpool program, connecting commuters with reliable, affordable, sustainable, and fun transportation to and from work. Operated by Madison County Transit, we are driven to improve air quality in our nine-county, bi-state region by reducing traffic congestion through carpooling and vanpooling.
We provide free, online ride-matching services for commuters interested in sharing the ride in their personal vehicles or by joining or forming a vanpool using RideFinders’ vans. And we offer regional employers the opportunity to partner together for the development of staffing solutions and to resolve transportation challenges by getting their best people to work on time and ready to go.
Guaranteed Ride Home
Life can be unpredictable. We get it. Sometimes you need to leave work early or stay a little late. RideFinders won’t leave you stranded. Through our Guaranteed Ride Home program, registered carpoolers and vanpoolers can get up to four free $125 taxi, Uber, or Lyft rides home per year.
Rideshare Success Stories
What happens when you put five strangers in a van for a few hours every week? Drivers and passengers save money. Their employers improve productivity. Deep friendships form. And, we all breathe a little easier.
Find out how carpooling and vanpooling is improving life in the greater St. Louis region for commuters, employers, and residents. And submit your own RideFinders success story, too.
Sustainability
The proof is in the numbers: By taking over 3,100 vehicles off our region’s roads, RideFinders’ carpool and vanpool programs eliminate more than 112,000 lbs of air pollution every month. That’s over 1,710,000 lbs per year! And commuters who use RideFinders save more than $3,000 per year on gas, parking, and maintenance on their vehicles.
And that’s just the beginning. Learn more about what makes carpooling and vanpooling a sustainable, long-term solution for commuters, employers, and the greater St. Louis region.
RideFinders Overview
Frequently Asked Questions
Created in 1994, RideFinders is the St. Louis regional commuter rideshare program operated by Madison County Transit to improve air quality in the nine-county region by reducing traffic congestion through carpooling and vanpooling. Funding for RideFinders is provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration.
Carpooling is simply sharing a ride in your personal vehicle with at least one other person. The extra person(s) can be a family member, friend, co-worker, or anyone who is willing to share the ride and help reduce traffic congestion on the road.
A vanpool is a group of 5 or more commuters who share the ride to and from work in vans provided by RideFinders for a low monthly fare. Each commuter serves in one of these three roles:
- Primary Driver: May receive a FREE commute in exchange for driving, fueling, and administering the vanpool.
- Back-up Driver: Rider who drives the vanpool when the primary driver is unable to drive.
- Riders: Pay a low monthly fare covering the total monthly vanpool operating cost.
There is NO cost or liability to participate, as RideFinders is a free public service for the region through the federal funding it receives from the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration. Organizational (Employer) partners are protected from liability by Illinois and Missouri state statutes.
Catch Your Ride
What if you need to leave work early or stay late? RideFinders’ Guaranteed Ride Home program will reimburse you for up to four taxi, Uber, or Lyft rides per year. So, get on board! Our Carpool and Vanpool services are easy, fast, and affordable.
