Commuter Club, the Cumberland Galleria area's van pool program, once used outreach coordinators to recruit riders.

"Now, with gas prices, they come to us," said Jennifer Hammond, director of Commuter Club.

Expecting to add its 100th van in December, the program is way ahead of schedule.

By the time about 250 people, including Gov. Sonny Perdue, celebrated the 100th van at a Friday luncheon, the fleet already numbered 106.

"We'll have 112 van pools by the end of July," Hammond said.

Commuters come from 17 metro Atlanta counties to the Cumberland Galleria office market in northwest Atlanta near the I-75/I-185 interchange in Cobb County.

The Cumberland Community Improvement District started Commuter Club in 1996. It is now the largest Transportation Management Association-sponsored van pool program in the country.

"You pioneers in this field are really ahead of the curve," Perdue told the 130 or so drivers and alternate drivers in the crowd at the Cobb Energy Centre. "You showed those who didn't anticipate $4 gas how to get it done."

He added, "You save money, pollute less and spend less time in traffic — that sounds like a Clark Howard motto."

Commuter Club estimates that participants save more than $7,000 a year in commuting costs.

"Everybody who rides in a van has gotten the impact of a $7,000 a year raise," said Tad Leithead, Cumberland CID Chairman and senior vice president of Cousins Properties.

Riders pay a flat monthly rate of $50, which is subsidized by Commuter Club using funds from GRTA and Cumberland CID.

Hammond said a price increase to $55 or so hasn't been discussed yet, but "I think that's something we'll likely see in the future."

Commuter Club also estimates it has prevented the emission of 229 tons of pollutants, equivalent to the weight of the Statue of Liberty, has removed 100 million vehicle miles from roadways, and saved commuters more than $5 million in vehicle-related expenses.

Hammond said a new van pool can be created with eight willing participants, including a driver and preferably an alternate driver or two. They decide where they will meet and what time they will leave and come home.

"We facilitate it, but they are ultimately in charge of their van," Hammond said.

Vans can carry 12 people comfortably. The driver leases the van from a vendor and keeps it at home when not using it to commute.

Hammond said total ridership is around 1,100, with daily ridership between 900 and 1,000 depending on the month.

Perdue hopes other people will get on board with alternatives to the one-person-per-car commute.

"When you're sitting in traffic and see these buses and vans go by," Perdue said, "you'll get the picture."