Who Needs a Car?
The Guelph Community Car Co-operative, a non-profit member owned company, is celebrating 6 years of providing transportation options to members – by purchasing their second car. A new Honda Fit will join the original Chevrolet Cavalier to meet the needs of an ever expanding membership group.
The 30 Co-operative members, including individuals, families, and corporations, book the car by the hour for quick trips around the area, that run to the airport to pick up Grandma, or a sales call to the client not well served by public transit.
People over 23 can apply to become members, and must have a 3 year clear driving record, (5 years for 24 and 23 year olds). Members invest in the co-op by contributing $ 500 in cash, or through a pay as you go option, then;
A car can be reserved for an hourly and per kilometre fee.
Members are billed monthly for their usage, and the co-op looks after everything else; gas, insurance, maintenance, parking, etc.
As of June 2006 – based on data provided by Susan Shaheen, UC Berkeley, 17 U.S. carsharing programs claimed 101,993 members sharing 2,558 vehicles, and, there were 11 Canadian carsharing programs who claimed 15,663 members sharing 779 vehicles.
The reasons for joining a car share can include any combination of the following reasons:
– access to a vehicle without the capital outlay of ownership
– no parking at their residence (or parking for a fee)
– avoid maintenance hassles and expense
– no up front outlay for insurance
– usage options down to one hour
– more affordable than conventional rentals for short trips
– sharing a car means fewer vehicles on the road, an environmental benefit for all (plus members tend to drive less than when they owned a vehicle)
– access to a variety of vehicles (as the fleet grows)
– alternative to a “company car”
The City of Guelph has recognized the benefits of car-sharing by providing a parking spot in the Baker Street lot.