Convenience key reason for car-sharing: Survey
Fewer cite saving money, environmental concerns for using service
Convenience, not the environment, was chosen by an overwhelming majority of people as the top reason why they use car-sharing, according to the results of a survey released Friday.
Of 4,050 people contacted in B.C. in an online survey by Vancity, convenience was cited by 95 per cent as the top reason why they choose to car-share. In second spot was saving money at 62 per cent, closely followed by “just in case you need it” at 61 per cent. In fourth spot was the environment at 58 per cent.
In some downtown Vancouver neighbourhoods, as many as five per cent of all moving autos are carshare vehicles.
Anthonia Ogundele, manager of environmental sustainability at Vancity, said Vancouver has a high rate of car-share for several reasons including population density, a limited supply of taxis and absence of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft.
“It’s only growing in popularity as all the car-sharing companies expand out of Vancouver into New Westminster and North Vancouver,” she said.
The first car-share started in the West End in 1997 as the Co-operative Auto Network. It has since changed its name to Modo Co-operative and is one of three car-share companies in the region: the others are Evo Car Share, Car2Go Care Sharing Canada, and Zipcar Inc.
Changing Gears: exploring the car-sharing culture shift in Metro Vancouver says that car-sharing gives its members access as drivers to a fleet of cars for their private use. Users of ride-hailing services ride as passengers in vehicles driven by their owners. Ogundele said the results of the survey and report suggest that car-sharing companies should work with municipalities to make the service more accessible for people in municipalities and cities throughout Metro Vancouver.
The four largest car-sharing areas in B.C. are Vancouver, New Westminster, North Vancouver and Victoria.
Vancouver’s 3,000 car-sharing vehicles compare to 2,080 in Montreal and 1,650 in Toronto. Across the border in the U.S., Seattle has 1,900, Portland 1,060 and San Francisco about 1,500.
“Vancouver can claim the title of North America’s car-sharing capital,” Changing Gears says.
The survey of car-share members in B.C. was conducted Oct. 5 to 12, 2017. The margin of error is plus or minus two per cent. The survey cautions that because respondents self-selected, they’re likely to be more active and involved than the rest of the population.