Guelph is now one of the growing number of cities to offer a car share program. The Community CarShare program, a co-op that allows people to rent cars for a small cost, launched in the city on May 2. The University of Guelph has four reserved parking spaces on campus for the cars and this is the University’s only contribution to the program.
So how does it work? Members pay a yearly registration fee and are then able to rent a car online for an additional hourly cost that covers insurance and gas. The program is open to licensed drivers 21 years of age and older. You can book online or by telephone, then pick up the car at the designated spot and return it to the same spot when you are finished. Members can also reserve on the spot via a smartphone.
Ian Weir, manager of Parking Services and Transportation Planning, said in a press release that the program could help reduce the number of cars on campus while offering people more transportation flexibility.
“We had looked into it in years past, but the cost was too high until now,” said Weir. “We’re trying to get people out of [owning] cars. It saves them the cost of owning their own car, reduces congestion, is cheaper and easier than renting from an agency, and, if it proves successful, could potentially reduce the need for us to build more parking lots. It can be used for everything from shopping trips to visiting family and friends out of town, and for much more.”
The cars, all five-passenger automatics, will be parked in lots P31 on South Ring Rd. and P23 on College Ave. The City of Guelph will also reserve spots in the downtown core.
Being a member of a car share program may make economic sense for students. Owning a car often involves a monthly payment plus insurance, gas and maintenance costs. Estimating conservatively, these fees can easily be a minimum of $350 per month. Maurice Nelischer, Univeristy of Guelph’s Director for Sustainability agrees that “This is an extremely convenient and efficient way for people to have the convenience they need in owning a car without having to buy one, with the benefits of lower costs and helping the environment.”
For more information about Community CarShare see www.communitycarshare.ca.