Boomerang

While I’m a relative late-bloomer to the growing trend of city car sharing, I’ve learned that there’s no need to worry about the expense and annoyance of finding parking in the city, paying high insurance premiums, or dealing with rising gas prices at the pump. I’ve experienced the “power of the fob” for myself, there’s no turning back. I’m hooked.  By sharing vehicles between a small and local “social network” of car-sharing members, people can really make a difference in reducing traffic congestion, parking problems, and our dependence on oil - while promoting cleaner air and more open space.

Back in 2001, City CarShare, a Bay Area nonprofit, introduced the city’s first car-sharing program — and others like Flexcar and Zipcar have entered the market since then. It’s pretty much the greenest way you can drive. A U.C. Berkeley study conducted in 2003 showed that each person who joins City CarShare saves nearly 100 gallons of gasoline each year, on average. When you add it all up, the current members of City CarShare in the Bay Area have saved more than 1 million gallons of gas. More recently, City CarShare has begun offering discounted programs to large local organizations like San Francisco City College to further increase its member base.

In my short time with City CarShare, it’s been easy and affordable to get around town to run errands, pick up friends and family at the airport, or conduct business in cities and towns nearby San Francisco. It does take a bit of advance planning to make sure you book the cars you need during certain times of day via the Web - but there are numerous “pods” (parking locations) to choose from, and all you need to do is wave your member “fob” on your keychain at your designated time - and the doors unlock, and off you go. Gas, insurance, pod parking and maintenance are all covered for you.

At $4/hour and 44 cents a mile, it’s really one of the cheapest ways to get around the Bay Area. And better yet, you can feel good knowing that membership in an organization like City CarShare is taking anywhere from 7 to 20 cars off the road for each vehicle they add to their growing fleet — and that’s having a very direct and real impact on the quality of life and environment in the cities that we live in.