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

[bruun at seas.upenn.edu]

I agree with Chris. I would add that in Philadelphia, the non-profit  
Philly CarShare
now supplies cars to city government workers so that the city doesn't  
need a large fleet.
It works well, as they need cars during office hours, when other people don't.

Eric Bruun


Quoting Chris Bradshaw <c_bradshaw at rogers.com>:

>> 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
>
>
>
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