Carsharing: Environmentally Friendly and Cost-effective Alternative to Owning a Car
Perhaps one of the most exciting developments in the evolution of urban transportation is carsharing. Why pay for a car, 24/7, when you might only use it for occasional trips or running weekend errands? Carsharing is a great option to owning your own car. By literally sharing a fleet of cars with hundreds of other drivers, you all share the costs of buying, insuring and maintaining the cars without the individual worry or responsibility.
Carsharing has been extremely successful in cities around the world for years. It's an ideal balance between the convenience of having a car at your disposal and the freedom of not worrying about maintenance, insurance or parking concerns. And if you need even more convincing, carsharing reduces the overall number of vehicles on the road, helping to mitigate the effects on the urban ecosystem by reducing congestion, noise and pollutants.
Why pay for a car, 24/7, when you might only use it for occasional trips?
FAQs on Carsharing
For more details on carsharing, see our FAQs below:
- I like the sound of this option! So how do I join?
- How much does it cost?
- Am I really going to save money?
- I only use my car for part of my commute to work. Can I just take trips to and from transit hubs?
Q: I like the sound of this option! So how do I join?
A: There are three main carsharing operations in Vancouver, car2go, Modo The Car Co-op and Zipcar. Check out their websites to see which one better fits your needs.
Q: How much does it cost?
A: There is a refundable deposit (just in case you miss on other payments or get into an accident), plus an administration fee (to pay for things like the lockbox key and credit check). After that it's just the cost of using the car, which is based on a combination of length of time and mileage used.
Q: Am I really going to save money?
A: Yes! Did you know that it costs $9,000 a year on average just to maintain a personal car? One reason the costs are so high is because most people don't take vehicle depreciation into account - the single largest expense for operating a new car in its first year. Not an issue with carsharing! In fact, on average, it costs just $117 a month for most carsharing users. That's $1404 per year so, yes, you'll definitely save money.
Q: I only use my car for part of my commute to work. Can I just take trips to and from transit hubs?
A: Absolutely. car2go, Modo The Car Co-op and Zipcar have online maps that show you where their cars are located for pick up, and there are plenty by SkyTrain and bus stations and both SeaBus terminals.
Do you or your company take advantage of the benefits of carsharing? Submit a comment below to share your story or start a conversation about carsharing in Metro Vancouver.