Car2Go vehicles not towed all that often, parking stats reveal
For all of Calgarians’ complaints about Car2Go vehicles unfairly and illegally parked in the city, they aren’t actually towed that often.
According to data from the Calgary Parking Authority, the SmartCars that make up the vast majority of Car2Go’s 610-strong fleet are only the 17th most-towed type of car in the city.
“It’s definitely not a problem,” said Car2Go Calgary manager Jon Wycoco.
“We can’t be everywhere, but we do see the occasional towing incident. It’s not with any frequency.”
Car2Go was introduced in Calgary in July 2012.
In the each of the two years before that, fewer than 15 SmartCars were towed in Calgary.
In the three years afterward, the number of SmartCars towed increased steadily.
The CPA reports it impounded 642 in 2013, and just over 40 more than that the next year.
The numbers peaked in 2015, when SmartCars rose to become the seventh-most-towed cars in Calgary.
That year, the CPA impounded 1,501 of them. City council voted to impose harsher parking restrictions on Car2Go vehicles last spring. So far in 2016, just over 500 SmartCars have been towed.
However, it’s worth noting that some of those SmartCars may be privately owned, although Alberta Transportation didn’t have data on how many are registered in the City of Calgary. The Car2Go fleet also includes 25 four-door Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
From 2010 until now, in total, SmartCars remain behind Ford, Honda, Chevrolet and other popular brands.
Wycoco said Car2Go staff try to move their vehicles before they get towed, if they find out one is parked illegally.
However, he said considering how many people in Calgary use Car2Go, the vehicles are bound to get towed from time to time.
“We have so many members, over 95,000 within Calgary, so we do see the occasional one,” he said.
“Calgary is one of the most successful cities for Car2Go in Canada.”