A SHORT HISTORY OF CARSHARING IN THE 90'S

This article provides an overview of the development of car-sharing in the USA and Europe. One of the earliest car-sharing projects was in Zurich, Switzerland in 1948, which attracted people who could not afford to own a car outright. More experiments began in the late 1980s and approximately 200 car-sharing organisations (CSO) are active in 450 cities in Europe. Until recently, most CSOs received a start-up grant from public funds. Larger CSOs are now investigateding the use of smart cards and electronic technology for reservation systems and access to vehicles. The Edinburgh City Car Club is one of the most technologically advanced CSOs in Europe. Experinece of car-sharing in North America is more limited, with schemes often set up only for the duration of research projects. Nine CSOs currently operate in North America, five of these in Canada. Recent developments in Asia are described. User characteristics and the market potential of CSOs are discussed. The largest CSOs aim for a balance between high vehicle utilization and high customer convenience claim that they can guarantee their customers over 95% vehicle availability on the basis of one car for every 15-20 members. In one study car-sharing was found cost-effective for users driving fewer than 5630 miles per year, but other studies found higher mileages were still cost-effective. About 30% of car owners sold their vehicles after joining a CSO and reduced their annual travel distance. For a covering abstract see ITRD E123470.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/13527614
• Corporate Authors:

  ECO-LOGICA LTD

  53 DERWENT ROAD
  LANCASTER,     LA1 3ES

  ECOPLAN

  PARIS,   France 
• Authors:
  • SHAHEEN, S
  • SPERLING, D
  • WAGNER, C
• Publication Date: 1999

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 18-40
• Monograph Title: CAR SHARING 2000 - A HAMMER FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
• Serial:
  • World Transport Policy & Practice
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue Number: 3
  • Publisher: Eco-Logica Limited
  • ISSN: 1352-7614
  • Serial URL: https://www.worldtransportjournal.org/journal
• Publication flags:

  Open Access (libre)

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: History; Technology; Vehicle sharing
• Uncontrolled Terms: Use
• Geographic Terms: Canada; Europe; United States
• ITRD Terms: 8018: Canada; 1108: Car sharing; 8034: Europe; 9096: History; 3855: Technology; 8122: USA; 9084: Use
• Subject Areas: History;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00984408
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport Research Laboratory
• Files: ITRD, ATRI
• Created Date: Jan 7 2005 12:00AM