[sustran] Car co-ops

[Tracey Axelsson]

Thanks for the interest in learning more.
Jerry's questions were:
>
>Does anyone know if this concept has many subscribers?  
I'VE HEARD A LOT OF CONFLICTING REPORTS OUT OF EUROPE.  I KNOW THAT THE
EUROPEAN CAR SHARE - AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION RUN FROM THE EU REPORTS AT
LEAST 6000 MEMBERS.  HOWEVER, I'VE SEEN A NETHERLANDS' NEWSPAPER ARTICLE
(WHICH A FELLOW KINDLY TRANSLATED FOR ME), WHICH SAID THERE WAS ABOUT
100,000 CAR SHAERS IN HOLLAND ALONE...  I BELEIVE THE LAST REPORT WAS THAT
THE SWISS ATG HAS 10,000 SUBSCRIBERS AND 700 CARS AND BERLIN GERMANY - THE
HOT BED OF CAR SHARE CREATION - HAS ABOUT THAT MANY JUST IN THE CITY OF
BERLIN!  THERE ARE ABOUT 300 CITIES ACROSS EUROPE THAT HAVE AT LEAST ONE
ORGANIZATION;  SOME AS CO-OPS, SOME AS CLUBS AND SOME AS BUSINESSES.

IN NORTH AMERICA, THERE ARE FOUR ORGANIZATIONS IN CANADA. AUTO-COM HAS BEEN
AROUND FOR 3 YEARS IN QUEBEC CITY AND I BELEIVE HAS 300 SUBSCRIBERS, WHILE
MONTREAL HAS ONLY BEEN AT IT A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND HAS 150 OR SO.  IN
VANCOUVER AND VICTORIA - WE BOTH STARTED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME 3 & HALF
MONTHS AGO -- AND HAVE ABOUT 30 MEMBERS EACH. 


>Who owns the auto? 
THE CO-OPERATIVE OR THE BUSINESS OWNS THE AUTO.  WITH THE CO-OPERATIVE THAT
MEANS THE MEMBERS OWN THE CARS.  WE REALLY STRIVE TO KEEP THIS KNOWN BY OUR
MEMBERS.  WHEN THEY OWN IT - THEY'LL BE LESS PRONE TO THRASH IT.

CAR SHARING AS AN ORGANIZATION IS REALLY ABOUT TRYING TO LIMIT PROBLEMS THAT
ARISE WHEN A FRIEND ETC BORROWS YOUR CAR AND GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT.  YOUR
FRIEND'S INSURNACE PREMIUMS STAY THE SAME BUT YOURS GO UP - CONSIDERABLY.
WITH THE ORGANIZATION AS THE *OWNER* THERE ARE LESS ISSUES AROUND LIABILITY
ETC AS WELL.

>Where does it reside?  
THAT REALLY DEPENDS ON WHERE YOUR MEMBERS ARE.  WITH THE CO-OPERATIVE AUTO
NETWORK (CAN) WE TYPICALLY SEE A CLUSTER OF MEMEBERS IN A GIVEN AREA AND
THEN PUT THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OR MOST CONVENIENT SPOT.  IN VICTORIA, AS
WITH MANY LARGER ORGANIZATIONS, THEY HAVE A CHEVRON GAS STATION ACTING AS A
CAR SHARE STATION.  IT'S A GREAT ARRANGEMENT BECAUSE THEY EVEN HAVE THE
CHEVRON PEOPLE MAINTAIN THE CARS.

>How is it insured?
IT'S INSURED LIKE ANY BUSINESS WOULD INSURE A CAR USED BY MANY DRIVERS -
UNDER A FLEET INSURANCE PLAN.  
  
>How do different sharers get physical access to it? 
TYPICALLY, THERE IS A LOCK BOX NOT UNLIKE THOSE USED BY UTILITY COMPANIES TO
GAIN ACCESS TO APARTMENT BLOCKS MOUNTED ON A WALL OR POLE NEAR THE CAR.  CAN
WILL ACTUALL HAVE THE BOXES BUILT INTO THE CARS, MAKING IT EASY AND FAST TO
MOVE MOVE THE CAR TO OTHER PARKING STATIONS AND MAKING THE CARS PARK-ABLE
ANYWHERE IF THE ADMINISTATION AGREES TO MOVE A CAR CLOSER TO A MEMBER WHEN
THEIR CAR IS BUSY.


>are they all friendly neighbors living in the same block?  
PEOPLE BECOME FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURS BECAUSE HEY SHARE A CAR - MORE THAN THE
OTHER WAY AROUND. WE HAVE SIX PEOPLE ALL LIVING WITHIN 3 BLOCKS OF EACH
OTHER ON COMOX STREET IN VANCOUVER BUT THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS THE
CASE - NOR IS IT NECESSARY.    TODAY WE HAVE A MEMBER JOINING FROM TOFINO!?!
THAT'S A CITY ON THE FAR SIDE OF VANCOUVER ISLAND SOME 250 KM FROM HERE.  HE
SPENDS ABOUT A WEEK A MONTH HERE AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ACCESS TO CAR SHARING.

>How is vehicle use scheduled? by hour?  
MEMBERS PHONE A CENTRAL NUMBER, SAY WHAT DAY THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE A CAR AND
FROM WHEN TO WHEN AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.  I KNOW THAT IN SINGAPORE THEY HAVE
INSTALLED A GREAT COMPUTER SYSTEM TO MAKE ACCESSING THE VEHICLES EASIER.  I
BELEIVE THEY ARE USING A CARD-LOCK SYSTEM DEVELOPED IN GERMANY BY COCOCS
(YOU MAY FIND IT ON THE WEB WITH THAT NAME...).  THEY MUST HAVE SOME PRETTY
BIG BUCKS BEHIND THE SCHEME - AND BE VERY CONCEERNED ABOUT THIS IMAGE THING
THAT WAS POSTED HERE PREVIOUSLY.  

WE'RE NOT SO HIGH TECH - YET - WE USE A BINDER AND A TELEPHONE!  THOUGH WE
ARE LOOKING AT DEVELOPING A MOBILE NETWORK THAT'S FAR CHEAPER THAN THE COCOS
SYSTEM - WITH LESS MOVING PARTS TO BREAK DOWN, BE VANDALIZED, STOLEN OR
WHATEVER.

>What happens if someone returns late?  
SO FAR OUR MEMBERS CALL TO EXTEND THEIR OUTTING RATHER THAN RETURN LATE.  IF
THAT RAISES A CONFLICT I JUST MOVE A ANOTHER CAR IN TO BE USED BY THE NEXT
PERSON IN LINE.  IN THE FUTURE, IF THE CAR'S AND THIS DISRUPTS ANOTHER
MEMBER, THE LATE MEMBER WILL HAVE TO PAY A PENALTY PLUS HAVE TO PICK UP CAB
FARE OR WHATEVER FOR THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE.  I TRY TO SCHEDULE A 30
MINUTES LAG BETWEEN OUTTINGS - THOUGH THE TIMES THAT THE CARS ARE WANTED SO
CLOSE TOGETHER ARE TERRIBLY RARE AT THIS POINT.

>Do I pay by the hour? or by the mile?  
BOTH.  PLUS BY THE MONTH - OUR COSTS ARE:
$10/MONTH, $1.50 PER HOUR AND $.25 FOR EVERY KILOMETRE  

I'll be posting a Question & Answer piece to our website soon, but many of
the process questions you may have are well covered in our manuals and
application form which you can open from the site. We're even doing the
formating to have our Rules of Incorporation available so it more easy for
people elsewhere to replicate. I hope this helps.
 
Cheers,  Tracey!

Tracey Axelsson  Executive Director
CAN Co-operative Auto Network     P.O. Box 47044, Denman   Vancouver, BC
V6G 3E1
*****Tel/Fax  685-1393   axelt at axionet.com      www.eagletree.com/think/can/