As 2014 comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to thank our amazing sponsors. Our sponsors put their money where their community is by sponsoring our carshare program, and exposing their organizations to our members and the surrounding community. We have been proud to partner with each of these locally based organizations and true leaders in their industries.

Thank you!

Downtown Boulder, Incorporated (DBI) is a nonprofit 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.

Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa, located just outside of Winter Park,  is a highly regarded and environmentally friendly year-round Ranch resort and spa offering rustically upscale accommodations, fine dining and an array of winter and summer outdoor and wilderness recreation activities. Make your reservation for Devil’s Thumb Ranch today and come experience what everyone is raving about!

Namasté Solar a Sunpower Elite Dealer, offers solar PV solutions for residential and commercial customers. Flexible financing options are available, including no money down and 12 months no payments, no interest. Namasté Solar’s unique, values-based business model includes employee ownership, democratic decision-making, community collaboration, open communication, an innovative solar grant program, zero-waste initiatives, and holistic profit measurement. Committed to positive social change, Namasté Solar prioritizes “doing the right thing” above all else for all stakeholders.

Rudi’s Organic Bakery, Inc., has been passionate about baking better breads for families for more than 35 years. Founded and headquartered in Boulder, Colo., Rudi’s Organic Bakery is the only nationally available brand offering a full line of nutritious and delicious, certified organic breads and baked goods. Rudi’s Organic is committed to baking breads using only the best organic ingredients and no artificial additives, preservatives and GMOs. In 2010, they created Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery, a line of gluten-free breads and baked goods made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients so that each bite tastes like the real thing. Rudi’s Organic and Rudi’s Gluten-Free products are available nationally at natural foods stores and select mainstream supermarkets.

The W. W. Reynolds Companies, Inc., is a commercial real estate development, leasing and professional property management firm located in downtown Boulder that currently owns, manages and leases over 3 million square feet of commercial office, retail and industrial property along the Colorado front range. Committed to growth through responsible development and sustainable practices, W. W. Reynolds is proud to be a sponsor of eGo CarShare!  For leasing information, please contact Chad Henry or Nate Litsey at 303.442.8687.

Find our how you can be a sponsor or partner with eGo CarShare today!  Contact: Karen Worminghaus at [email protected] or 303-720-1185 x 5.

Colorado Gives Day was a huge success! Thanks to the generosity of many, we raised, $4,510! We are truly inspired and grateful for this investment in and commitment to our community. These funds will be put to work supporting our 2015 Affordable Housing Transportation Toolkit program by supporting the Neighborhood Eco (NECO) Pass component of the program.

To exemplify what a tremendous impact our Affordable Housing Transportation Toolkit can have, check out this email we received from a Westview resident!

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 possible and simple to adjust.“-Westview resident & NECO pass recipient.

The matching funds raised yesterday were enough to get 2015 NECO passes for:

  • 121 Broadway East-West residents
  • 30 Westview residents

That is 151 low-income residents who will be able to ride RTD all year long!

We are still working to raise the matching funds needed to renew the 2015 NECO Pass contracts for:

  • 82 Red Oak Park residents
  • 156 Mariposa residents
  • 25 Globeville residents

If you know of an individual or business that might be interested in helping with this on-going fundraising effort please let us know, [email protected], or share this post with them. Donations can still be made throughout the year via the Colorado Gives website, but the sooner we can renew the NECO pass contracts for these neighborhoods so that residents do not have a lapse in coverage.

 

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!

Noel Taylor_Mariposa

“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.

Affordable Housing Neighborhood      Match Needed per Annual Pass
Number of Passes Needed
Mariposa – Denver$215156
Globeville – Denver$24825
Red Oak Park – Boulder$8082
Westview – Boulder$3032
Broadway East West – Boulder$30150

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.

 

Green Colorado Award 2014 LogoFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

eGo CarShare to Receive ColoradoBiz Inaugural Green Colorado Award

Denver, CO, June 25, 2014 – eGo CarShare is proud to be the recipient of ColoradoBiz Magazine’s inaugural Green Colorado award as a “Firm on a Greener Path.”

eGo CarShare, a local nonprofit, is one of 50 Colorado organizations to win this first-ever award, and one of only four in the transportation category, along with B-Cycle, Denver International Airport, and Green Garage.

Starting out with just one car in 1997, eGo CarShare has grown into a fleet of 52 fuel-efficient vehicles. Using a roundtrip model that supplements existing public transit options, each eGo CarShare vehicle replaces 9-13 personally owned vehicles. Members report driving less while increasing their walking, biking, and transit use. On average, each member experiences a reduction of 1,951 vehicle miles traveled per year and avoids emitting 1.16 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

The Green Colorado Awards event on June 26th offers an opportunity to recognize Colorado companies whose sustainable initiatives are setting new industry standards. The event will include a special tribute to green champions in nine industry categories and a keynote address by Hunter Lovins of Natural Capitalism Solutions.

ABOUT eGo CarShare

eGo CarShare is a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit carsharing organization serving the Denver-Boulder metro area. Our mission is to provide and promote alternatives to individual car ownership, thereby reducing the environmental and social impacts associated with motor vehicle use.

This weekend I had the opportunity to represent eGo CarShare at a car show at the Frasier Meadows Retirement Community in Boulder. It was a great event since people from the community were invited to bring their vintage cars over for display. Many of the cars on display were Model A Fords which were produced in the 1930s. There was also a vintage Pontiac as well as a Chevy Truck. It was refreshing to see all these colorful classics since it added some variety to the mundane designs we see around us today.

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

IMG_5194

Today it was announced that Occasional Car was bought by Enterprise Holdings. This leaves eGo CarShare as the sole local carshare provider in the Denver – Boulder metro area. It has been exciting to see the continued growth of carsharing as a segment of our transportation system in the Denver region and eGo CarShare is proud to be the first in the region to offer this service.

eGo began over 13 years ago, in Boulder, as a grassroots effort to reduce our carbon footprint, while offering an alternative to personal car ownership. With the assumption that if you have a car parked in your driveway, you will drive it, eGo CarShare pioneered carsharing in Colorado as a means to provide access to transportation while encouraging walking, biking or transit first.

In 2009, eGo accelerated its growth by launching in Denver around the same time  as Occasional Car. eGo CarShare and Occasional Car were the sole carshare providers in Denver until 2012 when Enterprise CarShare (previously branded as WeCar) came to the University of Denver campus. During the summer of 2013 other international short-term car rental companies including Zipcar (Avis), car2go and Hertz 24/7 (formerly Hertz On Demand), all came to the Denver market when Denver Public Works approved an on-street parking permit program.

As our transportation system expands and options diversify, eGo CarShare will continue to fulfill our mission to provide and promote alternatives to personal car ownership, thereby reducing the environmental and social impacts associated with motor vehicle use. We are committed to remaining an independent local organization and to providing the lowest carsharing rates possible.

eGo CarShare is the only carshare provider in the Denver-Boulder metro area that has agreed to follow the CarSharing Association’s Code of Ethics. The CarSharing Association works to maximize the environmental and social impact of the carsharing industry. Member-organizations are committed to providing sustainable, transit-oriented urban mobility for the benefit of the communities that they serve.

eGo CarShare is also a proud member of the Mile High Business Alliance. We recognize and appreciate the interest many Denver residents have in supporting our local economy and businesses.

Thank you for sharing with us!

– eGo CarShare

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 23rd and Walnut, Sterling University Peaks Apartments (30th and Aurora), and 48th 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

Thanks to another “loanation” we have a new location in Denver on 8th and Grant. Our new friend Katie added her Mazda 3 to our fleet. Thanks Katie! You can find it in the parking lot of Sleek Apartments at 770 Grant Street. This is our first loanation in Denver, and hope it won’t be our last. If you are interested in sharing your car with us, please read through the criteria and complete the form on our website.

Look for a testimonial from Katie in the coming weeks where she explains why she decided to share her car with eGo.

Please let us know what you think about this new location on our facebook, twitter, or through member feedback.

eGo Vehicle #222

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!
Look for snow tires on these vehicles:

Boulder Cars: V #104 – Wells Fargo (AWD)*, V #108 – Maxwell & Broadway, V #118 – Gold Run (AWD)*, V #126 – Newton Court minivan

Denver Cars: V #202 – 17th St. Plaza, V #212 – 15th & Curtis (AWD)*, V #221 – 14th & High (AWD)*

*These AWD excursion vehicles also have ski racks on them!

Toyota Matrix

We would like to send a BIG thank you to Namasté Solar for their generous support of our program. Look for our red Prius at Table Mesa and Broadway, now happily sporting the Namasté logo!

Namasté Solar, a Sunpower Elite Dealer, is proud to sponsor the eGo CarShare program in our community. Namasté Solar offers solar PV solutions for residential and commercial customers. Flexible financing options are available, including no money down and 12 months no payments, no interest.

Namasté Solar’s unique, values-based business model includes employee ownership, democratic decision-making, community collaboration, open communication, an innovative solar grant program, zero-waste initiatives, and holistic profit measurement. The company maintains high ethical standards among employees, customers, and the community. Committed to positive social change, Namasté Solar prioritizes “doing the right thing” above all else for all stakeholders. To set up a free consultation, contact (303) 447-0300 or Namastesolar.com.

Namasté Solar

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please contact [email protected] if your business or employer is interested in becoming our next featured sponsor! We still have a few matching opportunites left for our current CMAQ grant.