ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The Vanpool pilot project, which began about one year ago in Rochester, is being called a success by City Hall and will expand under a new operator.

The mayor's office announced Wednesday that Regional Transit Service (RTS) will take over operations of Vanpool, which started as public transportation to connect Rochester residents to out-of-town workplaces, like the new del Lago Resort and Casino in Seneca County.

During the one-year pilot phase, two vanpool vehicles were in operation, one to del Lago and another to a packaging plant in Canandaigua.

Under a ride share arrangement, up to 15 communters can ride in a van, which makes one daily trip to the workplace and then one trip home. Each rider pays a set monthly fee comparable to the cost of a monthly bus pass.

Current plans call for increasing the number of vanpool vehicles to at least 30 over the next three years. The rate of van expansion will be determined by job availability and consumer demand.