City CarShare: San Francisco, CA
Car sharing is a market-based strategy that is well-suited in urban areas where parking is in short supply and good public transportation options make car ownership less imperative. Two years after the launch of City CarShare in San Francisco, almost 30% of City CarShare members have gotten rid of one or more cars and two-thirds of members opted not to purchase another car. Moreover, matched-pair comparisons with a statistical control group suggest that, over time, members reduce their total vehicular miles traveled. This is due to a combination of reduced car ownership and more selective use of cars for trips that could be made through other modes of transportation. At the same time, carsharing widens mobility choices for area residents.
City CarShare member demographic, usage and survey data was examined in order to determine travel trends and impacts of the program.
The strength of the report lies in the detail and specificity of the information provided. The concrete examples and many tables and graphs illustrate the benefits of carsharing. Carsharing encourages and supports walkable communities and transit. It shares the cost of car ownership and maintenance across many users. Carshare vehicles are typically energy efficient, keeping CO2 emissions to a minimum.
