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Who Can Benefit from Car-Sharing?
Let's look at the hypothetical story or Mr. and Mrs. X. They both live together in the city. Because of the huge hassle of rush hour traffic and expensive parking spots around town, they both commute to work using public transportation and walk to nearby stores when they need to buy something.
But they own a car. Why? Well, their parents live half an hour's drive away, and they have friends in the suburb, and once in a while they like to go on a kayak or ski trip. They need to own a car, right?
Maybe not.
Car-sharing is perfect for people in this situation. But let's start with the basics:
What is Car-Sharing?
It's a bit like traditional car rentals, except that once you are a member of a car-sharing organization, you can rent a car for short periods of time (by the hour or mile drive, or a combination of both) whenever you want to. The most sophisticated programs have websites that allow you to see where the cars are parked throughout the city, and which are available, and others take reservations by phone.
Once you've decided which car you want to rent (in some cities you only have one model available, in others there are sedans, hybrids, vans, luxury cars, pickup trucks, etc) you walk to the location, unlock it with your special member car, and drive away. The amount you will be billed depends on your subscription, how long you had the car, and how far you've driven. As simple as that!
For people like Mr. and Mrs. X, car-sharing could not only save them a lot of money, but it also means that when they're not using a certain car, someone else has access to it. This reduces the number of in a city and is good for the environment.
How Does it Work more Specifically?
All car-sharing companies operate on the same general principles, but the details are slightly different for each. We recommend that you find out which company operates where you live (if any) by simply doing a Google search for "car sharing" plus the name of your city, and reading the information available on their website.
Learn More About Car-Sharing:
Hertz Rolls Out Car-Sharing Program to Compete with Zipcar
Get on Board with Car Sharing
Car-Sharing Bonanza: Zipcar and Flexcar Merge
TreeHugger Picks: Car Sharing Services
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