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Carsharing Grows

Chuck said:
Autoshare doesn't have enough cars. For example, Zipcar has 30 cars in the CBD (let's say Queen to Simcoe to Church to Bremner), while Autoshare has 6. On top of that, Zipcar's typical lot has 2-3 cars while Autoshare's typical lot has 1-2 cars.
Click to expand...
Are there shortages though when people want them? I haven't heard any reports in particular. Might be more of a function of which companies each has corporate contracts with - as it's mostly commercial in that area than residential. If you take the same area due east of Church, Autoshare has more cars.

I'd only say they don't have enough cars if they run out frequently.

Is Autoshare still cheaper than Zipcar?
 
Latest new service areas:

Autoshare:

Woodbine & Mortimer (the beer store)
Main & Gerrard

Zipcar:

Bloor/Kipling
Don Mills/Lawrence (Shops on Don Mills)
 
A few quick notes.

I see Autoshare has dropped their minimum age to 21 (from 23), the same as Zipcar. Though continues to require a full 'G' license which Zipcar does not.

Also in news (in carsharing):

Hamilton Carshare has got a big deal with the City of Hamilton approved for supplying the city (as a corporate entity) w/carshare service, and seems set to get its first on-street reserved space.

Niagara Carshare (which would be, like Hamilton Carshare, a division of 'Community Carshare' (out of K-W) is pushing hard to reach critical mass of for launch of 3 vehicles in St. Kitts.

No word yet on spring fleet expansions for Autoshare and Zipcar in the Toronto area.....but I would expect some material expansion and will report back when I hear.
 
Carsharing hits Mississauga

Mississauga gets Autoshare.

2 carshare vehicles to be parked in Downtown Mississauga, 1 reserved to city use for weekday/daytime, the other for downtown residents. (the City one will also be 'public' on weekends and evenings)

The City is providing the parking for free for the 2-year pilot project. The exact location is not indicated.

Start Date: April 2, 2012

http://www.mississauga.ca/portal/cityhall/pressreleases?paf_gear_id=9700020&itemId=114700869n
 
More carsharing news, been a lot for a few days:

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2012.PW13.4

At the upcoming PWIC meeting, the City will recommend expanding the pilot project of reserved spaces for carshare companies, to allow 40 additional on-street reserved spaces this year and if I read this right, an additional 40 each thereafter.

The carshares will have to pick, and then apply for their spaces, and will rent them from the city for between $708.84 and $4,400.84 per space.

***

Also interesting in the report is mention of a new carshare approaching the city that will offer a different service model, one in which you don't have to return the car to its original space, only to one of the designated spaces throughout the city. (allowing one-way trips)
 
Northern Light said:
Also interesting in the report is mention of a new carshare approaching the city that will offer a different service model, one in which you don't have to return the car to its original space, only to one of the designated spaces throughout the city. (allowing one-way trips)
Click to expand...

That's very likely to be Daimler's car2go.
 
I got to see car2go in Vancouver last week, and it seems pretty neat. They have a smartphone app where you can see the current location of all the (available) cars in the city. If you're driving a car to a particularly popular location, you don't even have to find a car2go dedicated spot for it, (i.e. just park somewhere that's free on weekends) since someone will invariably take the car before it gets a ticket. Of course... no guarantees.
 
Car 2 GO joins Toronto's carshares

As earlier speculated on, Daimler's Car2Go is launching in Toronto imminently. They will start with 250 cars, in the area bounded by Jane, Vic. Park, the Lake and Eglinton.

This service is similar to Zipcar/Autoshare, but has a few key differences:

Rent by the Minute (not the hour)
Only one vehicle type
Pick-up/Drop-off vehicle in any designated lot/space (allows 1-way trips)

Details in the Star article below.

http://www.thestar.com/business/art...ar-autoshare-even-taxis-in-moving-market?bn=1
 
First a Blog T.O. review of the Big 3 Toronto carsharing services:

http://www.blogto.com/city/2012/07/car_sharing_in_toronto_autoshare_vs_car2go_vs_zipcar/

Then for some location news:

Zipcar now at Kipling TTC, also Victoria Park TTC and now has 2 six-car pods on York's main campus.

Autoshare: Now at Main Square (just east of Main at Danforth); and 30 Denton (next to Victoria Park TTC)

Car2Go is within its previously stated foot print (Vic Park to Jane, Lake to Eglinton) and its car can end up anywhere within that zone as per how it operates.

But for a sample on what availability looks like, here's their map:

http://www.car2go.com/portal/toronto/page/mybookings/mapEnlarged.faces
 
Car2GO is posting that in their first 100 days, they have 9,000 Toronto members; and already expanding their fleet from 225 to 300 vehicles.
 
In Guelph, the small local car co-op is dissolving and Community CarShare (also a co-op) is expanding on May 1 with three cars to start -- one on Baker Street downtown, one at the train station, and one at the University of Guelph. (More details here.)

Community CarShare transitioned in the last half year to a smart card system, so that means people who know how this stuff works can join online and remotely - e.g. to be able to take the train or bus into Kitchener, Guelph, or Hamilton and still have access to a car.
 
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