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On July 20, 2016 we also launched a new mobile Reservation / Booking System!

Over the next few weeks we’ll be posting tutorials and helpful tips about both desktop & mobile versions of our new system.  We recommend using a desktop PC or Mac to verify your account information online.  If you need help getting started, please review the tutorial on our previous blog posting.

Click here to view our tutorial about How to Make a New Booking with the Mobile Website.

Once you feel ready to try it out, click here to login to the new system.

 

On July 20, 2016 we switched to a new and improved carshare Reservation / Booking System!

Over the next few weeks we’ll be posting a variety of tutorials and helpful tips about how to use our new software. Please also feel free to contact us with questions and feedback. Click here to view our tutorial about How to Make a New Booking (Reservation).

Existing members, click here to login to the new system.

A few helpful login tips:

If you joined eGo CarShare before July 20, 2016, please login as follows:

INDIVIDUAL Member? –> Login using your usual Member ID # and Password.

HOUSEHOLD or Organizational Member? —> Your login has changed slightly.

  • If you are the first Driver on your account login with a :01 after your Member Number (e.g. 1234:01).
  • If you are the second, or third, etc. Driver, and your login used to be formatted like 1234-2, now use 1234:02, 1234:03 and so on.

If you can’t get logged in using your Member ID #, try your e-mail address instead (in conjunction with your usual carshare password).

If you still can’t get in:

  1. Try using the Reset link on the login page (https://reservations.carshare.org), or
  2. Call our office at (303) 720-1185 or e-mail us at [email protected].

EngageMobileSitePhotoWe are transitioning software providers in July and this means our reservation system will look different, as will the monthly invoices you receive. We are confident that our new system will offer our members a much better user interface and mobile site experience.

We are happy to announce that once we are on the new system you will be billed for your total/actual trip cost a few days after your reservation, instead of the estimated trip cost as initially billed in our current system.

We will be communicating further updates with you in July and August. We ask for your patience in July as our small staff makes this very big transition. Rest assured you will still be able to access the cars and reach our dedicated staff if you experience any issues. As always, feel free to call us at 303.720.1185 if you have any questions.

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Denver has an increasing amount of options when it comes to getting around, from carsharing and ridesharing to light rail and biking. While there have never been more options, eGo CarShare, as a nonprofit carsharing organization, is unique in what it can offer.

One challenge to shared mobility that eGo can help tackle is the goal of equity and access for all. Being a nonprofit means that we not only run a full scale carsharing service with 50+ cars, but we also receive grants to do things like bring carsharing to areas which might not be particularly profitable. For example, eGo CarShare was awarded a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) grant through the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) for 2014-2015 to create “Multi-modal Toolkits” for residents in various affordable housing neighborhoods in Boulder and Denver. Partial matching funding was provided by Mile High Connects and The Denver Foundation. eGo partnered with Boulder Housing Partners (BHP), Denver HousingAuthority (DHA) and Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver (HFHMD) to provide select households with significantly subsidized monthly transit passes, free carshare memberships with discounted usage rates, free or discounted B-cycle memberships and/or access to pool bikes, and education about the multi-modal transportation options available to them. These public-private partnerships make it possible for us to provide not just carsharing but also greater mobility options to low-income areas.

eGoBcyclesite
Denver has made it possible to increase the visibility of all carshare services through its progressive on-street parking policies. These regulations have allowed us (and other carsharing services) to have designated on-street parking spaces, reserved specifically for our cars, something which does not exist in all cities. Having designated spaces on-street builds awareness of carsharing and therefore increases the number of people who use carsharing, because they see how convenient it can be and how easy cars are to access. Round-trip carsharing also helps to significantly ease parking demands as studies show each round-trip carsharing car replaces 9 -13 personally owned vehicles. This is because carshare members rely on a shared car rather than have their own or are able to get rid of a second vehicle while maintaining flexibility. Thus as vehicle ownership decreases, less space is needed for parking.

 

Participating in shared mobility is becoming an ever more viable option for people in Denver and beyond. eGo CarShare has over 50 locations in Denver, Boulder and Longmont and we hope to eventually expand to other surroundings communities, though population density to support carsharing and the relative newness of the carsharing concept can be challenging in new areas. eGo CarShare only requires two years of driving history and a valid license (which does not have to be in-state or even from the US) to apply for membership, making it a great option for college students, people visiting from other countries or others who wan a vehicle occasionally to get around. With no annual fees and carsharing rates starting at just $4.50/hour + $0.33/mile, including gas and insurance, sharing a car with eGo can also save a lot of money! AAA estimates in its 2015 study that it costs $7,606 a year to own your own car – you can afford to regularly use a LOT of other mobility options for well under $633/month without losing your flexibility and freedom and you’ll never have to deal with the hassles of car ownership.

 

Round-trip carsharing is meant to complement, rather than compete with, other mobility services like transit and bikeshare, creating even more transportation options as carshare locations expand around the city and beyond. Fewer cars on the road means less congestion, less emissions, improved environmental quality and better quality of life for communities – all goals eGo works toward as a local nonprofit.

 

We recently expanded our service area to include two locations in Longmont: a designated space at the lot at 6th and Coffman, approved by Longmont City Council January 26th, 2016 and another at Casa de la Esperanza at 1520 South Emery Street!

LongmontMap

The Longmont expansion is part of a grant program to give better access to transportation options for low-income residents. This pilot project is a joint effort between eGo CarShare and Boulder County to create more awareness of transportation options and to increase resident mobility. The discounted program currently runs through December 2016, with hopes that there will be enough interest to stay in Longmont for the long term. Boulder County Housing Authority (BCHA) residents and Longmont Housing Authority (LHA) residents in Longmont receive free eGo memberships and significantly discounted rates. eGo CarShare is also waiving the application fee for the first 25 members of the general public who join using promo code LongmontFree! As always with eGo’s service, gas and insurance are included in every reservation.

 

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eGo CarShare is committed to providing an affordable transportation option to as many local residents as possible while reducing the environmental and social impacts of personal car ownership. Research has shown that after joining a roundtrip carshare service like eGo, members walk 40% more, ride public transit 34% more, bike 18% more, and reduce their Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by over 40%. Studies also show that every roundtrip carsharing vehicle on the road replaces 9 to 13 personal vehicles, encouraging members to either sell their car or avoid purchasing a new vehicle and freeing up parking in congested areas.

“We’re thrilled to be able to expand our network of vehicles to Longmont and bring new multimodal options to residents there. We feel that carsharing can bring great benefits to the community of Longmont, particularly for underserved populations,” said eGo CarShare’s Director, Karen Worminghaus.

Access to carsharing for the greater Longmont community will integrate effectively with Boulder County’s RideFree Longmont program, which allows all of Longmont’s local buses to be free for anyone to use. The Longmont carshare locations broaden our existing system of 32 vehicles in Boulder and 20 vehicles in Denver, all of which can be accessed via our 24/7 pay-as-you-drive system.

unnamedThanks to twenty three generous donors, we raised $2,337 on Colorado Gives Day to help low-income people gain access to much needed transportation through the NECO pass program!

These funds will be put to work in our 2015 Affordable Housing Transportation Toolkit program by supporting the Neighborhood Eco (NECO) Pass component. We will apply your donation to the neighborhood you specified (Red Oak Park in Boulder or Mariposa in Denver), or to the area with the greatest need if you did not specify a location preference.

Donations can still be made throughout the year via the Colorado Gives web site, and the sooner we can raise the matching funds the sooner we can renew the NECO Pass contracts for these neighborhoods so that residents do not have a lapse in coverage.

Affordable Housing Transportation Toolkit

These funds make a HUGE different in people’s lives. A NECO pass can help some get to work, a much needed doctor’s appointment, a child’s activity or to a loved one’s house.
The recipients themselves say it best:

“This is a beautiful gift! Thank you so much for making it possible. Last month my car broke down and I was able to get to work and my children were able to catch the bus to school and this gift made it all painless and simple to adjust.”

– NECO Pass/Multi-modal Toolkit recipient

“This bus pass has played a huge role in making it possible for me to be more mobile. Next week, I will make my first ever trip to DIA with it. Additionally, the Multi-modal Toolkit through eGo CarShare changed my life. I am finally able to attend to my errands and needs at my own speed. This has a profound effect on the day-to-day quality of my life. Thank you.”


– NECO Pass/Multi-modal Toolkit recipient
Thank you again to all who donated!

 

Colorado Gives Day is tomorrow, December 8th.
It’s a chance to give where you live!
Support eGo CarShare’s work to bring mobility packages to low-income residents in Boulder and Denver. A discounted RTD EcoPass can be the difference in someone’s ability to make it to work, school, doctors’ appointments or to visit family and friends this holiday season.
Your donations will have a BIG and very meaningful impact!
Please consider making a donation of $25-50 to help give a low-income family the gift of mobility all year long.
Make sure to choose CO Gives Day or Monthly Recurring as your donation type.
Thank you for your support!
Dear Friend of eGo CarShare,

I am not an expert on being joyful. Sometimes I struggle with what I need to do to feel happiness. But I do know that there’s something that almost always works for me.

I feel JOY when I know I’ve been helpful!

There’s so much need in the world. Isn’t it easy to be helpful? Well, not always. How we help matters.

So, let me tell you about something that I believe in and thereby give you an opportunity to share the joy of feeling helpful.

For about 15 cents/day you could help ensure a low-income resident in our community has access to RTD bus and light rail service whenever they need for work, school, medical appointments, shopping and more.

Over the past 2 years, with the assistance of funding from DRCOG, Mile High Connects, The Denver Foundation, and private citizens like you, eGo CarShare started Neighborhood EcoPass programs in four low-income neighborhoods in Boulder and Denver. These four NECO Pass programs have given over 400 low-income residents invaluable independence and increased mobility options, not to mention tremendous cost savings. Many of these residents do not own cars and are therefore dependent on transit to reach vital destinations such as work, school, health care, etc.

But now with our grant funding coming to an end, these neighborhoods will have to self-fund their NECO Pass programs. We’re happy to report that with our administrative assistance, 2 of the 4 neighborhoods (which have fairly reasonable NECO Pass rates) are well on their way to renewing their NECO Pass programs for 2016. But the other two neighborhoods – Red Oak Park in Boulder and Mariposa in Denver – could really use your help. The Eco Pass rate for these two areas is over 4 times higher than the other two neighborhoods, which means each participant will need to contribute ~$500+ to keep their NECO Passes active in 2016. For a family of 4, this would mean $2,000+. This is a really significant expense for a household on a fixed income – so we’re asking for your help.

This year, as you travel about to celebrate the Holiday Season with family and friends we urge you to consider what this mobility means to you and how it adds to your quality of life. Please consider spreading the joy and freedom your mobility independence offers you to other residents in our community. Please consider giving the Gift of Transit to Red Oak Park and Mariposa residents. A donation of $25-50+ on Colorado Gives Day will go a long way to helping us ensure these residents have affordable transit options throughout 2016.

For more information on our Affordable Housing Multi-modal Toolkit program please visit our web site.

Please consider giving a gift of $25-50+ to help offset the cost of a NECO Pass for these hardworking and deserving families in our community.

Thanks in advance for spreading a little JOY this holiday season!

With heartfelt appreciation,

Dan Ziskin, eGo CarShare, Board Vice-President
Karen Worminghaus, Executive Director
 

“This bus pass has played a huge role in making it possible for me to be more mobile. Next week, I will make my first ever trip to DIA with it. Additionally, the Multi-modal Toolkit through eGo CarShare changed my life. I am finally able to attend to my errands and needs at my own speed. This has a profound effect on the day-to-day quality of my life. Thank you.”


– NECO Pass/Multi-modal Toolkit recipient

Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2015 Annual Member Survey! Over 300 members took the time to give us their very valuable feedback. Our net promoter score showed that overwhelmingly the majority of you would recommend eGo to friends! We greatly appreciate your input and are always open to hearing about what you love about eGo CarShare and what we can improve on. We couldn’t do this without you so thank you!

One of the biggest areas of feedback was regarding location and convenience. We will certainly let you know when we are able to add in more new locations and we have recorded all of your helpful location suggestions! Quite a few of you requested Longmont locations- we hope you know about the pilot program we have at in Longmont with one car at Casa Esperanza 1520 South Emery Street (SE corner of Hwy 287 & Pike) and a new location at the RTD ParknRide at 8th and Coffman. They are vehicles # 301 and #302 in our reservation system.

Know someone who could use them? The first 25 Longmont residents, workers or businesses to apply join FREE with promo Longmont2015 or refer a friend with the promo FOM2015 and they get $10 off their application and you get a $10 credit!

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Your desires to have access to an app, improved mobile reservation options, and real-time billing mirror our own! We have been working with our software provider to develop all of these services for some time now. We will be moving to a different software platform in 2016 and we hope the new software will allow us to bring you those services which will greatly improve your user experience!

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Some of you expressed a desire to be able to pick up and return cars to different spots. The foremost question we examine before making any changes to our service is, “Is this in alignment with our mission?” The positive impacts on modal shift, transit, and the environment associated with our roundtrip model of carsharing have yet to be proven with one-way carsharing. We want to make sure that each of our shared vehicles continues to represent 9-13 cars being taken off the road and all the positive benefits that come with that, as well as augmenting, rather than competing with, other existing active transportation options.

We have studied one-way carsharing in the past and we will continue to explore and monitor its impacts. If data comes to light that shows one-way carsharing to be beneficial to the community and environment, rest assured it is on our radar and we would look into making those changes!

carpeople

Thanks again for letting us know your thoughts. Some of our favorites:

“I love ego carshare! This program makes it possible to not own a car and still have all my needs met. I feel great about using the vehicles and they come in handy since we don’t own our own car. Thank you for what you do!!!”

“It fills a nice role for people who either don’t have a car, or for people like me who have one, but want something more reliable or more modern to do longer trips.  For me, it’s an excellent way to have access to a vehicle on the rare occasions that I need one without having to pay for insurance, registration or maintenance.”

“The cars are always well maintained and the eGo staff is always responsive and friendly. I really appreciate getting to drive new, and environmentally friendly vehicles (hybrids, electric, etc.). The reservation system is easy to use and update.”

“I really appreciate your pricing structure and ease of use, as well as the transparency in your communication. It’s made going without a car much easier.”

“I really love this service, as someone who chooses not to have a personal vehicle living in the city, it is a great option for necessary car trips. It has also saved me a lot of money compared to owning a car. The Denver/Boulder office staff is also extremely helpful.

“I really like it, even though I don’t use it a lot because I ride my bike a lot.  It is peace of mind knowing that if my wife or son need the family car and I need a car as well, this gives me a convenient option without having to own a second car.”

“Love the staff. They’re always helpful, professional and friendly.”

Congratulations to the following members who were awarded $20 in carshare usage credits for taking part in our survey:    Daniel J., Gina G., Sumate P., Alana W., Andrea H., Andrew T., Amanda T., Maureen M., Evelyn B., Anne B., Robert N., Dakotah B., Joel P., Aaron K., Connie M., Andrew B., James D., Alice G., Abhay K., Joseph B., Kimberly H., Emily C., Jenna W., Johanna W., Aaron G. and Laura P.!

Thanks again to all our members for being a part of carsharing!

Best,

The eGo CarShare Team

Karen, Alexis, Carolyn, Lauren, Jim, Brian, and Britt

 

 

 

 

Life is complicated enough without annual fees! That’s why, as of September 1st, we’re doing away with the annual fee for our Peace of Mind plan. Quite a few Peace of Mind members told us they didn’t use our program enough to justify paying the annual fee, so we reviewed our pricing and decided to eliminate the annual fee for our POM plan going forward.

Only use a car occasionally? No problem! Use eGo as your primary vehicle? Awesome!

No matter what your usage needs are, you’re still going to be able to access eGo’s great rates, which remain some of the lowest in the industry.  

Another thing we sometimes hear is that our rate structure is a bit complex. So we’ve simplified our rates to make the mileage rate consistent for all vehicle types. Our hourly rate still varies depending on the vehicle type (fuel efficiency) but we hope the new format will make it easier to see your reservation cost.

Our all-wheel drive vehicles are also more popular than ever, and we want to ensure they are available for their intended use. So we’ve added a nominal AWD surcharge of $0.75/hour. We want you to be able to get to the mountains, bike, ski, and adventure in the all-wheel drives, which you can’t do if someone else is using an AWD to go grocery shopping.

Part of our decision to add a surcharge to the all-wheel drives was mission driven- we want members to have an incentive to reduce their environmental impact whenever possible. Did you know that a Prius C gets 53 miles per gallon in-city, whereas a Subaru Outback gets 25 miles per gallon in-city? Our all-wheel-drive usage rates still remain well below the industry average, so we hope you’ll enjoy them when you need one!

53 mpg vs. 25 mpg (1)

Note: This restructuring does NOT represent a rate change for the trucks or minivans; it simply shifts the price differential to the hourly portion of your usage charge. The hourly surcharge for specialty vehicles covers the higher fuel and maintenance costs associated with these vehicles, and also helps ensure they will be more available for those times you need a specialty vehicle. Our pickups are still as affordable as ever for moving, hauling or whatever your needs may be!

We hope our new rate structure* will make it easier for you to see what you’ll be paying at the time you make your reservation.

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*rates effective as of September 1st, 2015

Some people wonder why we keep mileage and hourly charges separate, which is different from some other carshare and rental companies. It all comes back to our mission to reduce the impact of single occupancy car driving on the community and the environment. By keeping the mileage separate, we incentivize people to work, shop, and play as locally as possible. There is a real cost to the environment (air pollution, CO2 emissions) and community (traffic, wear and tear to roads) for every mile driven so we encourage people to consider their impact by making mileage a separate charge.

You asked, we listened! As a local, nonprofit company, eGo CarShare could not do what it does without dedicated members like you. Thank you for your support and feedback!

Have ideas? Comments? Something to share? Email us at [email protected]

eGo CarShare & US 36 Express Lanes – Tolling Begins July 22nd

Switchable HOV Toll Transponders to be installed in all eGo CarShare Vehicles in Early August

The US 36 Express Lanes project is a multi-modal project to add an Express Lane in each direction of US 36 for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV) and tolled Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOV). In addition to US 36, Express Lanes are, or will also be, available on I-25, C-470, and I-70.

Switchable HOV transponders will be available in all eGo CarShare vehicles by August 15, 2015. If you use the Express Lanes in a vehicle without a transponder prior to August 15th you will be responsible for paying the full toll even if you are a carpooler.

An overview video can be found here.

US36

 

US 36 will have 3 lanes of traffic in each direction. The far-right two lanes will be General Purpose/non-Tolled lanes. The far-left lane in each direction is the “Express Lane” which can only be used by buses, carpools, or toll paying solo drivers.

For carpooling and other commute options along US 36, please visit: http://36commutingsolutions.org/commuting-us-36/commute-options

It’s easy to use Express Lanes during your eGo CarShare trip! Check out the FAQs below for more details:

How do I use Express Lanes with eGo CarShare?

If you plan to use the Express Lanes locate the switchable toll transponder on the windshield below the rearview mirror when you start your trip. You’ll need to slide the tab to “TOLL” or “HOV” depending on how many people you have in the car:

  • If you are a carpooler (2 or more people in the vehicle): Slide the tab on the transponder to show the RED/HOV bar, and you can use the Express Lanes for FREE!
  • If you are traveling alone: Slide the tab on the transponder to show the GREEN/TOLL You will be billed for the toll amount listed on the overhead signs as you enter the Express Lanes. Tolls will vary depending on the amount of traffic in the Express Lane.
  • If you are traveling alone and do not want to incur Toll fees, simply drive in one of the two General Purpose (non-Tolled) lanes on the right side of US 36.

 

tolls

 

How much does it cost to use the Express Lanes?

If you are a carpooler with 2 or more people in your car, using the Express Lane is FREE as long as you switch your toll transponder to the RED/HOV bar. If you are driving alone be sure the transponder is switched to the GREEN/TOLL bar, or avoid using the Express Lane if you don’t want to be charged for toll fees. If you use the Express Lane as a SOV you will be billed for the toll amount listed on the overhead signs, plus a 10% processing fee to offset eGo’s cost of processing toll fees.

How will I be billed?

If you drive on a toll road (including E-470 and NW Parkway) any toll charges you incur during your trip will be billed to you on your monthly eGo CarShare invoice. Note, there is an additional 10% transaction fee for each toll charge to cover eGo’s processing costs.

Do I need to have my own transponder?

No. All of eGo’s cars will have switchable transponders installed by August 15th. All you have to do is make sure to select whether you are a carpooler (RED/HOV) or single occupancy vehicle (GREEN/TOLL).

How do I enter and exit the US 36 Express Lanes?

There are designated entrance/exit areas between each interchange that are clearly identified by overhead signs and pavement markings, or by a barrier. Travelers enter the lanes where the pavement stripes are a white dash, or when there is a break in the barrier. At all other areas, the Express Lanes are separated by a solid, double white line. Crossing double, solid white lines is prohibited.

How will they know who is carpooling and who is paying the toll?

The switchable HOV toll transponders in each eGo CarShare car signal whether you are using the Express Lanes as a carpooler or as a single occupancy vehicle (SOV). Be sure to switch the tab to RED/HOV for carpooling (currently defined as 2 or more people in a vehicle) or GREEN/TOLL for a single occupancy vehicle. Law enforcement will help enforce Express Lanes rules, making sure that those who identified themselves as carpoolers actually have enough people to use the lanes for free.

How can I get more information?

Call us at 303-720-1185 or visit the CDOT US 36 Express Lanes website: https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes

For carpooling and other commute options along US 36, please visit: http://36commutingsolutions.org/commuting-us-36/commute-options/