[sustran] Re: Is carsharing irrelevant for the Global South?

[Chris Bradshaw]

> 2. Or is car sharing just a kind of adaptation to car ownership, a
> first, somewhat less expensive step.

Sorry for not jumping in earlier.  But this consideration of "carsharing"
needs more attention.

As to the above question, I, as a former carsharing provider, would answer
no.  Yes, in Canada and other western countries, driving generally is a
skill one learns before the age of 20, so self-driving is more of an option.
And the cost of getting the license is not high, in either money or time, so
one is not likley, once the license is 'awarded,' to want to get a private
car to 'amortize' those costs.

However, carshare companies in Ontario don't allow those learning to drive
to use their cars. (Yes, all insurance is included in the rates).

But I agree with Lee and others that we must keep our eyes on the goal: to
shift trips towards the small-footprint modes.  Thus, Western carsharing
should not appeal to the masses relying on transit and 'paratransit,' plus
walking and cycling.  In our part of the world, it appeals mostly to those
who have owned a car for some years and find that they don't use it enough,
especially after they more to a more central or more 'walkable' area where,
incidentally, parking is a higher cost (or if one has a home with a parking
spot, it can be rented for a good return).

The comments about using driver services to get to jobs (well-paying ones
because of the higher cost vs. transit) as being wasteful is correct, as
well as the higher pollution costs of deadheading (where the driver is on
the road with no 'payload').  The use of shared cars for this, where the
shared vehicle is available during the workday for other trips, is an option
that should be explored more.

Carsharing should naturally be used for odd trips that cannot be done by any
other mode, such as a daytrip for the family into the countryside.  It also
reduces the number of parking spots needed, compared to private cars.  And
reduces the amount of road spaces needed by the passenger-less taxis to keep
moving or to wait for a 'fare' to arrive.   These are issues that face all
cities, but especially those that are more dense and whose citizens don't
have the means to have private access to a car.

Chris Bradshaw