[sustran] Car co-ops

[European Federation for Transport and Environment (T&E)]

Dear colleagues,

I was planning, no, determined to follow this discussion group passively,
staying comfortably and inconspicuously behind the scenes. Not because I am
only half interested, but rather for fear of work-overload - these
discussions have an addictive and self-perpetuating quality. So here we are:
the discussion has only been on for a few days and I am responding. 

This mail comes from the European Federation for Transport and Environment
(T&E), an umbrella of 29 NGOs in 19 European countries. T&E represents
environmental NGOs, public transport users groups and alternative transport
associations.  Although we're based in Brussels, and work a lot on EU
issues, we are pan-European, with members in non-Eu countries including
Central and Eastern Europe. We also do some work on UN-ECE level and
OECD-Europe.

Anyway, the topic on why I am now writing: car-sharing. I am extremely
pleased to read that in the car-dominated North-Americas car-sharing is
coming off the ground. It has been around for some time in Europe, and
indeed a European network called "European Car Sharing" (ECS) now exists. It
comprises over 100 cities in which car co-ops are operating. In toral there
are over 300 cities in Europe where you can "share" a car, and over 6000
citizens use the system regularly.

Those of you who what to learn about the European experiecne (John and
Tracey, if you write about it in WTPP, think about including the Euroepan
angle). ECS, Manteuffelstrasse 40, D-10997, Berlin. Fax +49 30 611 37 27.

All the best,

Gijs Kuneman
Director T&E