Zipcar is perhaps the most famous car sharing service, a response to increased public commitment to getting the most out of resources by doing things like outfitting businesses with used cubicles, reusing equipment, setting up recycling programs, and turning to public transport for commuting.
Alternatives to Zipcar are springing up in several major cities. Here are three of them.
1. RelayRides is a car sharing service where ordinary people share the cars they own. In other words, if you own a car, you can join and rent out your car. RelayRides pays the insurance. RelayRides connects people who need a car occasionally with a vehicle that would otherwise be sitting idle. The service is available in the Boston area.
2. Modo was the first car sharing co-op in North America, and is located in Vancouver. Today some 8,000 members share 250 vehicles. Sharing plans are available for individuals and businesses. For individuals, they offer co-op memberships and casual memberships. The latter are for those who don’t need a car often, or want to try out the service before committing to a co-op membership.
3. Mint Cars on Demand is a car sharing service available in New York and Boston. Their fleet of fuel-efficient cars and nicer “special occasion” cars is designed to get people where they need to go while keeping the city’s carbon footprint down. Mint was founded in 2008 in response to increasing car costs and decreasing parking options.
While these services are probably not the best idea for someone who has to commute to an industrial park full of office cubicles every day, they’re perfect for the person who gets around by other means and only needs a car occasionally. Such sharing services help people get the most out of resources and avoid having to pay the high costs associated with owning a car.