Pooling across the water

I can't remember if I said as much, but my happy 2.5 year long carpool ended at the beginning of July when my carpoolmates moved to their new abode in Madison Valley (a Seattle neighborhood). Since then I've tried carpooling with the husband, getting ad hoc riders through the carpool email list at work, and getting ad hoc rides through the carpool email list at work. It worked okay, but not great. This week, I joined my very own vanpool. So far it is great. Unlike previous vanpools I've known about, this one takes me door-to-door and won't drive away if I'm not standing on the curb the instant they drive up. Even better, it travels at almost the exact same times as my previous carpool. And my employer subsidizes it, so it's free for me. Whoopee!