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Fairfield Company Finds Four-Wheeled Stress Reduction Tool.

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Metropool provides free services with the support of the Connecticut and New York State Departments of Transportation.

Fairfield Company Finds Four-Wheeled Stress Reduction Tool

Fairfield-based RBC Heim Bearings has some happier employees, thanks to a great stress-reduction tool. "We saw it in a parking lot," said Greg Ceuch, Purchasing Manager, "and inquired about it via the Internet."

This four-wheeled relaxation machine is no mystery -- it's a vanpool. And it's now saving six RBC Heim Bearings employees from a grueling life of stop-and-go stress and expense during the morning and evening commute.

"We have people who drive up to one hour and 15 minutes," said Ceuch. "The van has relieved a lot of stress from driving that long of a commute, and it gives us an opportunity to talk business on the way in to work and on the way back home."

The vanpool travels from Thomaston. Riders meet at a central location. Unfortunately, no high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes are available along the group's path. "Traffic is pretty congested along Route 8 on the way here," Ceuch said, "so we try to come in earlier. On the way home we take I-95, which is a very congested, tough drive."

The van is a new Ford Windstar from Easy Street, the state of Connecticut's vanpool program. The fare includes insurance, and the driver gets 250 miles of personal use per month.

Driving responsibilities are shared. Al Gravel, Manufacturing Manager at RBCHeim Bearings, serves as the vanpool's main driver, and two others serve as back-ups when he is traveling. "We split it up," said Ceuch.

"The six of us knew each other already," Ceuch explained. "There was a lot of interest, but we had a core group that got the vanpool started. We could grow into a larger van, but that's longer term. This is a win-win for the employees and the employer!"

Gravel echoed that sentiment. "It's really been a great experience," he said. "The vanpool is saving everybody a lot of money. The commute is 84 miles round trip a day. Before we got the van, the drive was costing us each about $35 to $40 a week in gas to come to work, plus the wear and tear on our cars. The van has 1,000 miles on it now, and it's a real pleasure."

Gravel noted that safety is another benefit. "A couple of women who ride the van really enjoy it because now they don't have to drive in bad weather - it's a life saver for them."

RBC Heim Bearings (which is a manufacturing plant for Roller Bearing Company) has been in Fairfield for over 30 years, Gravel said, and employs about 150 people. The company helps the vanpoolers by running their $95 per person fare payment through a pre-tax payroll deduction system. Since parking around the plant is plentiful, no special space was needed for the van.

"From a financial standpoint the van has worked well for us," Ceuch said. "The payroll deduction system makes it easier to budget for monthly travel costs."

"Our employer is very positive and feels that it works well," Ceuch noted, "because it eliminates any commute problems. We come in very early in the morning, so there's a confidence level that we'll make it in safely."

Gravel observed that while the vanpool group doesn't keep a waiting list, the people who didn't join right away aren't too happy now. "The more people see it, the more they realize it's a good way to get to work," said Gravel.

For more information about the vanpool at RBC Heim Bearings, contact Greg Ceuch or Alan Gravel at 203-255-1511. For details on starting or finding a new vanpool, call MetroPool at 203-324-6700.