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CarShare expands in Boulder
Photo by Paul Aiken
Kelly Grebe,of Nederland, prepares to get into a CarShare vehicle in Boulder on Thursday. Grebe takes public transportation from Nederland and uses a CarShare vehicle for her job delivering meals to seniors and disabled people. The CarShare program offers eight cars that now are shared by about 110 people, for $1 an hour and 50 cents a mile.
In more than three years, Boulder resident Jean Rosmarin hasn't ever stopped to fill up the gas tank on her family's second car — because one of the other 110 people who use it usually takes care of it first.
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Rosmarin is among a growing family of area residents who participate in CarShare, a nonprofit program designed to take carbon-cutting mobile convenience to new levels.
For $1 an hour and 50 cents a mile, members who pay the $25 application fee and $10 monthly dues -- to cover insurance, gas and maintenance -- gain 24-hour access to any of the group's eight vehicles that are strategically parked throughout the city.
Members make hourly reservations for the cars either online or through a phone system for a fleet that includes a heavy-duty pickup, a hybrid-electric car, a natural-gas powered vehicle and a host of mid-sized passenger cars.
Most of the vehicles are within easy walking or biking distance for CarShare members, like Rosmarin, who sometimes only needs a second vehicle a few times a month to accomplish special trips or errands.
"I felt like we needed a car and a half," Rosmarin said. "(CarShare) was a really inexpensive alternative for us."
Rosmarin said she typicallyspends about $50 a month on the program, and she's able to walk to a CarShare vehicle stationed at the Table Mesa Shopping Center.
"It's been really great," she said. "I don't think we're going to need to buy another car until my teenager really insists."
Other cars are parked in reserved spaces at Naropa University, Lucky's Market in north Boulder and other spaces throughout the city.
Most members tend to return the cars to their spots on time, too, because users who go over reserved times are charged $20 plus the cost of a taxi or rental car for other members waiting for the vehicle.
Graham Hill, Boulder resident and co-founder of CarShare, began the program informally in 2000 and gained nonprofit status in 2005.
The idea first came to him in the late 1980s and has since grown steadily in popularity.
"It just kind of blossomed," Hill said. "It's amazing how you can really accommodate most of your trips by having one car and adding a little mobility insurance."
Hill said all the vehicles in the CarShare fleet have been donated and are designed with work, not play, in mind.
"If you want to be seen in an Audi Quattro ... this is not the organization for you," he said. "It's not the car you blast off with every morning. This is for people who want mobility options."
And, he said, for people conscious of perpetually rising gas prices.
"We are certainly in a downturn in the economy, and people are typically spending 20 to 30 percent of their income on their transportation," Hill said. "Traffic levels have been one of the most problematic issues in this town for a number of years. This is not an answer to everything, but we feel like you don't have to rely on two or three cars per household."
While Hill is actively courting new members, he's also working with city officials and businesses to expand the program.
Randall Rutsch, a planner for the Boulder transportation office, said he's excited about the possibilities of providing CarShare memberships for some city employees, or reserving city parking spaces for CarShare vehicles.
"Car sharing is a program that's very big in Europe and very big in parts of the U.S., and it's a program that's very consistent with the city's transportation policy," Rutsch said. "I think there's a lot of overlap and a lot of good synergy."
CarShare members also receive a 10 percent discount on Enterprise rental cars, and the membership covers insurance for the rental.
Hill said he hopes businesses will also see the program as an added incentive for eco-conscious employees and would like to eventually integrate the program with the Eco Pass, available to employers through the Regional Transportation District.
Boulder resident and CarShare member Scott Heap said he hopes the program continues to expand.
"It serves a lot of people who can't afford a car payment," Heap said. "It's a great program."
Posted by crazy4cheese on April 28, 2008 at 12:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gosh dern hippies! This decreased consumption of oil is un-American! Not to mention the payments they aren't making to a bank!
Seriously though this is a pretty cool idea. Seems like it is working better than those green bikes that were left all over the place 10 years ago.
Posted by EnlightenedProf on April 28, 2008 at 7:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"This decreased consumption of oil..."
How exactly does one decrease consumption of oil by using a jointly owned car rather than an individually owned car? Other than the oil needed to produce and deliver said vehicle? People will still drive the same mileage.
Don't get me wrong, it's a fantastic, capitalist, venture - creating and/or filling a need. Although there is no doubt that the City Council will find a way to tax this great program out of existence. At $50/month it's close to a "free" car - therefore taxes must be captured on the car as if it were not almost "free," right City Council?
Posted by Dick_Tater on April 28, 2008 at 8:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'd rather ride my bike. 0 dollars a month and 0 cents a mile. And I don't have to sit in a seat 109 other people farted in.
Posted by mati on April 28, 2008 at 8:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Actually, it's pretty obvious to the rest of us that those who have to go out of their way to reserve and "check out" a go for a trip are going to drive less than those who have one sitting in the driveway for on the spot convenience.
Posted by mati on April 28, 2008 at 8:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
It's true, bikes are great. I ride one most of the summer months myself. However, try taking your 2 toddlers to the grocery store in a cold rainstorm on your bike.... Time and place for everything!
Posted by jgarcia on April 28, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Really cool idea. I wonder if a system like this does not suffer from "it's not my car" syndrome that leads to over wear. It must be a really conscious group of people for this to truly work.
Posted by pygmy_owl on April 28, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"it's a fantastic, capitalist, venture"
Actually, EP, it's not a capitalist venture, it's a nonprofit. Characteristically a capitalist venture would seek to build capital through private ownership. This is a Marxist project, plain and simple. It keeps the modes of production (or in this case, transportation) in the hands of the collective. (I don't expect you to know that, since fake professors aren't required to read or publish to keep their imaginary jobs.)
As for how this reduces the consumption of oil, it's probably fair to say that there are significant transaction costs to the use of these vehicles, so those, at least, probably reduce consumption. It's also fair to say that at least two of these vehicles are either hybrids or natural-gas powered. Again, I don't expect you to know that, since, well, it says so right in the article.
Posted by LightningRose on April 28, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
On the other hand, Dick_Tater, you're saving 109 other people from sitting in the same seat you farted in.
Posted by pbailey on April 28, 2008 at 9:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)
One way this program helps air quality and congestion is that by having vehicles available, people who would normally drive to work because they "might" need their car to go somewhere else during the day can now take the bus since carshare is available in case they actually do need to make a side trip that requires a vehicle.
I found that I was not using my pickup truck all that much, so I donated it to the program, and I still use it just as much as I ever did, and others can use it too. I also now don't pay to insure a vehicle that is just sitting around.
Posted by driveby_poster on April 28, 2008 at 10:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"And I don't have to sit in a seat 109 other people farted in.
Farting might well be one of the more milder activities that seat endured, especially if graduates from the BVSD sex-ed classes are involved.
Posted by EnlightenedProf on April 28, 2008 at 10:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"This is a Marxist project, plain and simple. "
Please. CarShare is not owned by the government. Get a clue. Whether the business is to make a profit or not (many non-profits have great CEO pay/benefit/work packages), it will live or die based on the capitalist system. If people don't buy it, it will go under (they can't tax you and me for their income to purchase the cars). Or, it will be turned into your preferred Marxist system as the City Council purchases the business and taxes all to use the cars.
You don't know much about hybrids, do you? In general, they cause more harm to the environment with the toxic battery packs and heavy weight than a comparable gas powered car. Diesel engines are roughly 30% more efficient, thermodynamically, than gas engines and get better mileage than hybrids. Even the 30 year old VW Rabbit does better than today's hybrid. But, if you own a hybrid you can tell people that you are "green" and that's what counts.
Oh, and good job of hurling insults. That is what people do when they don't have reasonable arguments. Thanks!
Posted by pygmy_owl on April 28, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
In EP's fantasy world, anything which is owned by the government qualifies as Marxist, and anything which is not owned by the government qualifies as capitalist. By his logic, community gardens are capitalist, CSAs are capitalist, credit unions are capitalist, and homeowner's associations are capitalist. Matter of fact, there appears to be no relevant distinction at all between some project that seeks to concentrate private property in the hands of one owner (either an individual or a corporation) and some project that seeks to distribute ownership amongst users, workers, and beneficiaries.
Listen, goofball, among other things, Marx suggested that the modes of production be kept in collective hands, not necessarily the hands of the so-called 'government'. The political form of that government, mind you, was an open question, as any reader of Trotsky will rightly tell you.
Again, since you don't know anything about Marx, and since you frequently refuse to make any substantial or fine-grained distinctions, I'll chalk it up to your ridiculous hackery and let you off the hook.
As for the fuel efficiency of hybrids, you might wanna check your facts. Again, I won't hold it against you for getting those wrong too, but you should do a bit more research and -- hm, what was it? oh, right -- not believe everything you read.
Posted by EnlightenedProf on April 28, 2008 at 12:50 p.m. (Suggest removal)
pygmy_owl,
Cute rant. Again, name calling is not a convincing argument. It's a great indicator of your ability, or lack thereof, to reason. No doubt your fellow leftists are impressed and that's what counts. Too fun!
Show me a four door sedan hybrid that gets 62.8 mpg highway like the diesel Honda Accord (non-hybrid). Oh, yeah, Honda dropped the Accord hybrid to go with diesel. The Accord hybrid averages 1 (one, uno) mpg better than the non hybrid gas car (see Consumer Reports for reference). The diesel Accord is rated at 39 mpg city, 63 mpg highway. Throw those hybrids away (after dripping the batteries off at the toxic waste recycling plant, of course).
And, yes, even when a group of people use their own money to start a business/project the entity will live or die based on capitalism - group gardens included. If they don't pay fair market value for the plot of land they will not get it. If they don't pay fair market value for the seeds, they will not get them. If this car share program doesn't earn enough money to pay for it's expensive it will raise prices or go under (or convince the government to take over). The great thing about capitalism in the car share case is that it will encourage other entities to do the same thing - thereby increasing value and reducing cost to the consumer! This is not difficult stuff.
Posted by pygmy_owl on April 28, 2008 at 2:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry to take so long to respond. Have to cool myself off from that last bender of a rant. Phew. I'm exhausted. Ranting and raving as I do can really take its toll on a person.
EP, not only don't you know how to identify a rant when you see one, but you're also hardly an authority on reasoning (as evidenced by your inability to sort out insult from argument; sure, I insult you, but I nestle such loving invective in the middle of my devastating attacks). Moreover, you certainly don't know much about capitalism, however conceived. (Wait, just how _do_ you understand capitalism, brother? Are you a reader of Smith or of Friedman?) Moreover, I doubt sincerely that you're cautious enough in your evaluation of the world to make the sort of blanket claims you often seek to make.
So, let's see. Here are some facts about the world: a hybrid is not as fuel-efficient as a moped. A moped is not as fuel-efficient as a golf cart. A golf cart is not as fuel-efficient as a bicycle.
Here are some other facts: some hybrids are more fuel-efficient than other hybrids, but not all hybrids are more fuel-efficient than some diesels. Some diesels, by contrast, are more fuel-efficient than other diesels, but not all diesels are more fuel-efficient than some hybrids.
I take all of the above statements to be true, ceteris paribus, provided that we understand fuel-efficiency as "fossil fuel efficiency" and we understand references to sets to describe sets generally and not each member of the set. (One extremely inefficient hybrid does not invalidate the general claim about all hybrids.)
Given that all of the above statements are true in light of those above qualifications, here's something else that's true, ceteris paribus:
Hybrids are relatively fuel efficient.
In EP's upside-down world, all of the things you think you know are backward. Hybrids aren't efficient, global warming isn't happening, science doesn't offer knowledge about the world, and every claim is politicized. Back to the fifth dimension with you, Mxyzptlk.
Posted by pbailey on April 28, 2008 at 4:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Just a quick note for both the hybrid and diesel arguments. Carshare does have one hybrid, but also has two dual fuel vehicles that run on either gasoline or compressed natural gas (CNG). There is a CNG pump at 30th & Baseline in Boulder, and a number of them around the metro area.
Natural Gas contains less carbon than any other fossil fuel and thus reduces exhaust emissions of:
Carbon Monoxide by 70%
Non-Methane Organic Gas by 87%
Nitrogen Oxides by 87%
Carbon Dioxide by 20%
As such, Natural Gas Vehicles are inherently cleaner than traditional motor vehicles. Some, like the Honda GX, even meet California's strict ultra-low and super ultra-low emission standards.
Another benefit is that most natural gas is domestically produced, mostly as fossil fuel at this point but with the potential to come from renewable resources or recovered from places like landfills. And the natural gas infrastructure is likely to be a way to transition to a hydrogen fuel infrastructure in the future: an example can be found at www.hythane.com a Colorado company which has a system mixing 20% hydrogen 80% methane (natural gas) mix - which burns the methane cleaner and can be used in CNG vehicles with a tuning adjustment.
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