Vancity Buzz updates the current car-sharing scene:
Carpooling and ride-sharing have played a big role in reducing the number of cars on the road, spreading the use of a few vehicles among a large number of drivers. The city has stood behind car sharing since their partnership with Modo in 2009.
Side Stat: The City of Vancouver managed to get 585 staff members signed up with Modo and have cut over 20 passenger cars from its fleet of staff vehicles.
The city definitely sees the benefits, but do you? Have you looked into it?
Top 3 Car Share Companies in Vancouver:
Modo: originated in 1996
- The original Co-Operative Auto Network program in the city
- Over 7,700 members sharing over 240 vehicles in Metro Vancouver
Zipcar: originated in 2000
- Second to come to Vancouver, larger variety of vehicles to choose from
- First-class customer service
Car2Go: originated in 2008
- Largest of the three
- Launched in Vancouver late April of 2011
An easy place to start and compare your options would be CompareCarShares.com where you can select your method of travel, map your trip, and find the average cost for each option.
I have been a Zipcar member for 5 years and a Car2Go member since it began. Zipcar has given me great service and succeeded in fulfilling all of its promises to me, but Car2Go is hands down a better service for me and my needs.
Zipcar requires you to return a car to where you picked it up. So you’re trip has to be a round-trip; you’re paying for everything in between. Picking people up at the airport and going to costco or ikea have been the uses for me where zipcar shines. Car2go lets you leave a car anywhere in the city. I can grab a car in kits and leave it at my buddy’s place in east van or I can drive to the bar and have a few drinks without worrying how I’ll return the car. When I go into a movie I don’t pay for the car while its just parked – the catch is anyone can jump in and take it. Car2go is not crazy reliable in the sense that the cars aren’t always in the same place, you gotta find’em – and no long term pre-reservations, gotta find one when you need it. But when the bus is too slow and a cab’s too expensive Car2go is a godsend.
This is no information you can’t gleen from the websites, just my personal experiences.
Just an update to your numbers:
Modo was founded in the West End in 1997 (making it North America’s first carshare co-op!) and is launching its 300th vehicle this week (yeah!).
It currently has 9,000+ members and business drivers.
Its cars, trucks, vans and electrics are located all across Vancouver, UBC, North Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam, Surrey and Richmond.
And because it is a not-for-profit member-owned co-op, Modo is able to offer the most affordable rates in Metro Vancouver.
With the exception of its cargo vans, all vehicles – including cars, trucks, vans and electrics – may be booked at the same rates.
Thanks for sharing about carsharing, Gordon!
– Hilary
Marketing Director
Modo The Car Co-op
Zipcar offer the best deal I believe. Fantastic company.