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

Ashok Sreenivas ashok.sreenivas at gmail.com
Fri Mar 26 11:29:42 JST 2010


Dear Rutul (and others)

No discussion on car-sharing or vehicle-sharing in Gujarat can be 
complete without including the uniquely Gujarati invention: the chakda!!

http://specials.rediff.com/election/2004/apr/16sld1.jpg
http://forum.60kph.com/userpix/340_GRK_033_1.jpg

And then there are the jeep services that penetrate parts of the country 
that are not touched (or at least not touched well) by public transport 
services. These are very common in Maharashtra and something of which I 
have availed often enough in the past (including sharing the trailer of 
a pickup with some cattle once).

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/50/119165877_cfdc98aa94.jpg?v=0
http://thumb15.shutterstock.com.edgesuite.net/display_pic_with_logo/196486/196486,1207787192,3/stock-photo-people-traveling-in-over-crowded-jeeps-is-common-in-western-india-11338222.jpg

Yes, there are many innovative car-sharing or vehicle-sharing schemes in 
operation outside (or at the peripheries of) our cities.

Ashok

On 25/03/2010 9:30 PM, Rutul Joshi wrote:
> In Indian context, one sees wider range of informal practices of vehicle sharing which often do not get recorded. One of the most intersting one is the auto-rickshaw sharing which I have closely seen in Ahmedabad and in smaller towns of the Gujarat state. 
>
> Most of the auto-rickshaw drivers have mobile phones and I know many 
> families who call them often. Nothing is formalised here and the 
> Auto-driver belonging to the neighbourhood or known through someone is 
> more reliable and assumed to be a safer choice, especially for the 
> women. The working women almost regularly call auto-rickshaws to drop 
> them/to pick them up in groups. The cost are shared and thus, it becomes affordable for a regular practice. In fact, it gives tough competition 
> to public transport in smaller cities. I also know some friends who use 
> these auto-rickshaws on call (instead of taxis) to access the airport 
> and the railway stations. The Autos would be cheaper and as efficient 
> option. It becomes even more affordable and useful in smaller Indian 
> cities which lacks good public transport. The mobile phones have made 
> the auto-drivers more enterprising. Informal social networks take care 
> of safety and other issues. 
>
> I believe, the debates about 'car sharing' should be broadly defined as 
> 'mode sharing' or 'vehicle sharing'. There are lot of interesting 
> informal practices which needs to be researched. 
>
> cheers,
> Rutul.
>
>
>
>
>
>  Rutul Joshi,
> Lecturer, Faculty of Planning and 
> Public Policy (on study leave)
> CEPT University, Ahmedabad - 380 009.
> www.spcept.ac.in
>  
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Madhav Pai <MPai at wri.org>
> To: Eric Britton <eric.britton at ecoplan.org>; Sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
> Sent: Thu, 25 March, 2010 10:27:48 AM
> Subject: [sustran] Re: Is carsharing irrelevant for the Global South?
>
> A form of car sharing in India very prevalent. 
>
> In most cities you can rent a car/with a driver (half day:4 hours), full
> day: 8-12 hours, few days even a few months). The cars are available in
> all sizes small sedans to mini vans. The rates are pretty much fixed
> across the country. It usually starts at 4 Hours, 40 Kms is 400 Rs (10
> USD) for a low small sedan. 
>
> Car ownership may vary between from one car (owner/driver) to a few
> thousand cars. 
> There is also an increasing number of fleet managers. That take these
> cars from individual owners/drivers, use technology elements (GPS
> tracking), call center etc and make them available to offices/companies.
>
>
> Would you call this car sharing?
>
> It would be interesting to study if the availability of these cars
> - prevent people from buying cars
> - do they end up buying smaller cars for city use and renting these
> bigger cars for long trips
> - what percentage of car use in our cities are these shared cars?
> - if one these large companies could transform themselves into
> membership based car sharing entities.
>
>
> Sincerely;
> Madhav Pai
> Technical Director
> EMBARQ - India
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sustran-discuss-bounces+mpai=wri.org at list.jca.apc.org
> [mailto:sustran-discuss-bounces+mpai=wri.org at list.jca.apc.org] On Behalf
> Of Eric Britton
> Sent: Wednesday, March 24, 2010 2:05 PM
> To: Sustran-discuss at list.jca.apc.org
> Subject: [sustran] Is carsharing irrelevant for the Global South?
>
> Is carsharing irrelevant for the Global South?  
>
> Should be transportation planners and policymakers working in cities the
> developing world be taking the time to follow developments in other
> places so that they are fully informed about planning and policy matters
> as necessary for ensuring successful carsharing in their cities and
> countries.
>
> We think they should. We (I guess that means me, but not really since I
> know I am not alone in this)  firmly believe that carsharing is a
> practical transportation alternative that is relevant for  just about
> every place in the world where there are people who need to have access
> to cars (and vans and trucks). It is not only a proven low carbon way to
> have access to and use cars, but it makes economic sense for most
> people, and (when it works
> properly) is a lot more convenient to boot.
>
> So please keep up on carshare developments world wide and bear it in
> mind that carsharing is "the last nail in the coffin of old mobility".
>
> Eric Britton 
>
> For the World Carshare Consortium at  <http://www.worldcarshare.com>
> www.worldcarshare.com 
>
>
>
> Note: New Paris tel. +331 7550 3788 . Kindly change your records.
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