Car sharing provides members with on-demand access to vehicles for rent, available either on an hourly or daily basis. Users sign up to a car share scheme (for example; GoGet or Flexicar, who are some of the more prominent providers in Australia), reserve a nearby vehicle, unlock it using a pincode received via mobile phone, and commence their journey. Upon completion, users return the car to its designated parking spot and securing it with the pincode. Most car-sharing programs incorporate fuel, damage coverage, maintenance, and cleaning in the hourly rate, and are often available 24/7.
According to the RACV, the monthly running costs for a small passenger car averages $900 per month, while a mid-sized SUV costs more than $1,200 per month[1]. The advantages extend to the wider community, with studies revealing that each car chare vehicle results in the removal of 10 private cars from roads[2], leading to reduced traffic impacts and pollution. That’s nine less vehicles on the road per car share vehicle, which equates to a lot of public space or construction costs in private developments!
Car share vehicles in private developments are a great way to reduce traffic impacts. They are best suited for sites located in activity centres with a high level of access to everyday services that don’t require a car and can be provided in both residential and commercial settings.
Please get in touch with Amber if you’d like to discuss how a car share spaces can be applied in your next development.
References:
[1] https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/transport/cars/car-share-victoria.html
[2] https://www.goget.com.au/parking
