CAR SHARING SPREADS

BY CHRIS BRADSHAW


n May 12, Vrtucar started car-sharing operations with a first car at the City of Ottawa parking lot at Bank and Chamberlain. The company, incorporated by two community activists and planners, Wilson Wood and Chris Bradshaw in late February, was able to sign up the 10 minimum members by early May to sustain one car.

Regional Chair, Bob Chiarelli kicked off the service as an alternative for those wanting to avoid car-ownership and trying to reduce driving or at least, having to have a parking spot. He said his two grown daughters live a short walk of the car and will ask them to use the service rather than going to his west end home to borrow the family car.

This new service coincides with regional transportation department's launching of TravelWise, to promote transportation alternatives. One example is funding to allow OC Transpo to expand its "Rack 'n' Roll" bike racks on the front of buses. The alternatives are intended to overcome the downside of car-ownership and use. Car-sharing can reduce members' driving by over 50%.

Car-sharing, offered in seven Canadian cities, as well as in over 100 in Europe, started in Germany and Switzerland in 1988. The first Canadian club started in Quebec City in early 1995.

Members reserve a car when they need to drive, picking up the car at a nearby parking lot by accessing a lockbox that has the ignition key of the car they were assigned by phone. It differs from car rental in five important ways:

  1. use is for as little as one-hour
  2. users don't pre-pay for a certain amount of kilometres
  3. formal membership is required to screen members once, rather than for each trip
  4. rates include gas and collision insurance
  5. cars are located individually, to reduce the user's travel distance.

The cost is much lower than owning since 85% of fixed car costs are shared with an average of 8-12 other people. Members must be 25 or over and have their driving record scrutinized. If accepted, they pay a one-time, refundable $500 membership fee and chose one of three rate packages: Occasional, Regular, or Frequent. Each package has its own rates for kilometres and hours and a separate monthly access fee for administrative overhead of $10-30.

A typical three-hour trip runs about $16. Payment is via monthly itemized invoice. For the $75-a-month or more, cost of a parking spot, a person could sell their car and get about 15 hours of use, gas and all insurance included and no longer need the parking spot!

If you are interested in finding out more, visit www.vrtucar.com or phone 798-1900.