Do you have an Eco Pass? Do you appreciate and value the freedom and mobility it provides for you? If so, please consider giving the gift of transportation to a local, low-income family this holiday season. Schedule your donation TODAY!

Did you know transportation is the second largest expense, after housing, for most people? Even in car-free households, families spend a large portion of their income getting around. Sometimes this cost makes it nearly impossible to access a job or to attend a child’s school play. As we looked around our community we saw amazing organizations making big impacts addressing people’s housing needs, and realized that we could help with people’s transportation needs. So we applied and were awarded a grant through the Denver Regional Council of Governments to offer a ‘Transportation Toolkit” to residents living in specific Boulder Housing Partners, Denver Housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity homes in Boulder and Denver. This toolkit includes deep subsidies for annual RTD transit passes (primarily through the Neighborhood Eco pass program), access and discounts to eGo CarShare, and free or subsidized B-cycle memberships. This grant requires a 17% local match however. We were grateful to receive matching funding from Mile High Connects and The Denver Foundation in 2014, but for 2015 we will need your help!

“To have the NECO pass is a massive blessing as it assures I will always have transportation for getting food, medical help etc.  Additionally it saves a tremendous amount of money that I can now use for basic living needs that I would not have had otherwise.  It is just a tremendous blessing.”  – Noel Taylor senior living in Tapiz at the Mariposa Development

This holiday season please consider sponsoring an annual transit pass for one of your neighbors! Below you will see the primary neighborhoods we are working in and how much eGo needs to meet the 17% match. Colorado Gives Day is Thursday, December 9th and we are asking that you make a contribution on this day. When donating enter in one of the amounts below (or another amount of your choosing) and specify which neighborhood (or specific resident) you would like it go towards in the comment section. Easy!

You can schedule your donation TODAY so you don’t have to worry about remembering to do it on December 9th.

A little about Colorado Gives Day: For the fifth year, Community First Foundation and FirstBank are partnering to present Colorado Gives Day on Tuesday, December 9, 2014. Colorado Gives Day is an annual statewide movement to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Colorado through online giving. This year, because of a new $1 Million Incentive Fund, every dollar you donate will be increased proportionally. That means if a nonprofit organization receives 10 percent of the total donations made on Colorado Gives Day, that same nonprofit will receive 10 percent of the $1 Million Incentive Fund!

See our website for more information about our Affordable Housing Transportation Toolkit program.

Among these classics stood a vehicle of the modern era – The All-Electric Nissan Leaf. I was asked to take the Leaf over for the car show as part of eGo CarShare’s contribution towards the event. It was amazing to see the 2012 Nissan Leaf parked next to a 1930’s Model A Ford. This image depicted the brilliant advancement of technology over the last century.

It was my first time driving an electric vehicle. It was an awesome experience since the car was so quiet and had a great pickup. Getting a range of 80-100 miles on a single charge also seemed very cool, especially for city purposes. Picking it up and returning it to its charging station at Alfalfas was also very straightforward. After dropping it off at Alfalfas, I kept thinking to myself, once you drive an electric vehicle, you don’t want to drive anything else!

– Akshay Gavai

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EGO CARSHARE EXPANDS IN BOULDER

Non-profit carsharing program adds new locations in Boulder 

March 19th, 2014 (BOULDER, CO) – eGo CarShare, the Boulder based nonprofit carsharing service, recently added three new vehicles to its Boulder fleet at 23^rd and Walnut, Sterling University Peaks Apartments (30^th and Aurora), and 48^th and Arapahoe across from Boulder Community Hospital.

eGo CarShare currently has 29 vehicles available throughout Boulder and 18 in Denver via its unique 24/7, pay-as-you-drive system. They plan to add at least five more locations in Boulder before the end of the year. eGo CarShare is committed to providing an affordable transportation option to all Boulder residents while reducing the environmental and social impacts of personal vehicle ownership and helping the City achieve its climate commitment goals. 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 displaces 9 to 30 personal vehicles, encouraging members to either sell their car or avoid purchasing a new vehicle.

eGo CarShare’s current expansion is fueled by a Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) grant from the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) to expand to new locations near existing or planned B-cycle stations.  Bikesharing and carsharing systems are two innovative solutions that go hand-in-hand to address our personal transportation needs while reducing the number of vehicles on the road and promoting active transportation modes.Go, 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 displaces 9 to 30 personal vehicles, encouraging members to either sell their car or avoid purchasing a new vehicle.

“We are thrilled to be able to expand our network of vehicles in Boulder. We already serve over 2,000 Boulder residents and take pride in helping our members go car free or downsize to one car per household. Placing our vehicles near existing transportation infrastructure, like B-cycle and key transit corridors, is a natural fit that helps improve the synergy, convenience and utility of all active modes,” said eGo CarShare’s Director, Karen Worminghaus.

Anyone interested in becoming a member can visit carshare.org to learn more. If you have a car you would like to share in the program visit carshare.org/2016dev/share-your-car to discover how you can share your car and stop paying for gas, maintenance, and insurance.

About eGo CarShare:

eGo CarShare is a local Boulder-Denver 501(c)(3) organization which started in Boulder in 2001. eGo’s mission is to provide and promote alternatives to individual car ownership, thereby reducing the environmental and social impacts associated with motor vehicle use.  CarSharing is an alternative to personal car ownership that provides members hourly use of vehicles – without worrying about the cost of insurance, maintenance or even gas.

CONTACT:

Karen Worminghaus, Director, eGo CarShare, [email protected], ph 303.720.1185 x5

As the temperatures fall and snow flakes swirl, we’re reminded that winter is once again upon us! During these snowy times, be sure to use extra caution on the roadways to keep everyone safe from harm and our vehicles in good condition.

Please keep the following in mind for all your winter reservations:

• There are no penalties for canceling your reservation (or returning early) due to severe inclement weather if you notify eGo at the time of the cancellation.
• If there is a large snowfall or severe weather, eGo staff may enact a ‘Snow Day,’ which means that staff will contact members with scheduled reservations and remind them of our weather-related cancellation policy, and/or disallow members to continue with their reservations if we deem the road conditions too hazardous.
• Before starting your trip, brush all snow off the roof of your vehicle, particularly the Priuses. Snow left on the roof can suddenly slide forward onto the windshield, completely blocking your view and creating a very dangerous situation.
• Please use the blankets in the cars when transporting bikes and other dirty items. Help keep our vehicles clean by notifying us when they get particularly dirty inside or out. And thanks for understanding, as it’s harder for us to keep the fleet as clean during the winter months!

eGo CarShare would like to thank Downtown Boulder Incorporated (DBI) for their generous support of our program. We currently have a federal grant which is allowing us to create “Shared Mobility Hubs” by placing additional carshare locations in close proximity to B-cycle stations. This grant requires us to raise $5K in matching funds for every new car we add to our fleet. DBI’s contribution will allow us to help meet the growing demand for our program!

In exchange for their generous support, all DBI members are eligible for a free eGo business membership. You can see DBI’s branding as it rolls around town on our newly loanated Subaru Outback in the Wells Fargo lot (V#104)!

About: Downtown Boulder, Incorporated (DBI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the continued preservation and enhancement of Downtown Boulder as the heart of the greater Boulder community. DBI works to maintain downtown as the center of commerce, government, culture, and leisure. DBI members support the overall vitality of downtown through public advocacy, political involvement, and community events that enhance the Boulder experience for residents and visitors. Membership in DBI is voluntary, and open to any interested person or organization. Learn more about DBI and/or become a member at, www.boulderdowntown.com.