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What's Brewing

Why not share a car?

By SUSAN THURSTON
Published March 24, 2006

The idea probably gives most people in Tampa the shakes. Give up my car? No way.

But more and more people nationwide are forgoing their only car, or a second one, to jump on a growing trend in transit: car sharing.

Relatively new in the United States, the concept is gaining favor as a way to reduce traffic and consume less gas. Instead of using a car for every errand or the commute to work, you take the bus, ride a bike or walk. For the longer trips, you rent a car for a few hours.

Last week, the Tampa Downtown Partnership invited car-sharing guru Dave Brook of Portland, Ore., to address the ins and outs. He raved about the cost savings and environmental benefits, noting that people drive significantly less if they have to think twice about every trip.

It's also pretty cool, he said. Liberating.

Karen Kress, who heads up transportation issues for the partnership, put together the workshop to get locals in the public and private sector talking about the concept as people start moving back to the urban core. Traffic isn't getting any better - have you been stuck in construction-related delays along Ashley Drive lately? - and just imagine it five years from now.

Car sharing seems a viable solution, one of many worth pursuing.

Here's how it works in other places.

People sign up to become members. They get access cards that open the vehicles, which are parked in designated spots within a quarter-mile of where members work and live.

Need a car? Just reserve a time, get to the car and you're off. You pay by the hour, generally $8.50 to $10.50 depending on the make and model. The fleet has SUVs, minivans, convertibles, sports cars, etc., depending on what members want. Gas, insurance and 125 miles per trip are included.

The average member rents a car for four or five hours at a time. Daily rentals are available for $75 to $90, more than typical rental car companies, but the car is within walking distance. If the car isn't there at the reserved time, you call a cab and the car-sharing company picks up the fare.

Like any membership club, there are rules. No smoking in the cars and no pets, unless they're in a crate (or no one catches you). You get a fine for returning a car late unless you call ahead. You also have to gas up - on the company's credit card - once the tank dips below the one-quarter mark.

As of December, about 92,000 members shared 1,737 cars in 17 car-sharing programs across the country, many of them in California and the Washington, D.C., area. Just think of the added gridlock if all of those people were driving at once, jockeying for a lane and then a parking space.

The average member is 39 years old, and nearly all have college degrees, Brook said. They aren't all "greenies'' trying to save the planet, he said. Many are couples looking to eliminate a car to avoid the parking and maintenance hassles.

So far, the idea has attracted some fame. Last year, multimillionaire Steve Case, the co-founder of America Online Inc., became such a fan of the Flexcar program that he invested heavily in the company. In doing so, he said the company realistically could grow to 1-million members in five years.

Harbour Island, the Channel District and other residential enclaves close to downtown are prime candidates for car sharing, Brook said. People could take the trolley buses or walk to work, the bank and the drugstore, then rent a car if they needed to leave the immediate area.

To start a program in Tampa, he said, a company would need to place about 50 cars and have a contract with a public agency or private party guaranteeing initially that the cars would be rented for a certain amount of time each month. The University of South Florida is looking into starting a program to reduce the campus' parking crunch.

Don Scalf, contracts administrator for two residential projects in the Channel District, Grand Central at Kennedy and the Martin, said the idea might be attractive to people who don't want buy a parking space for a second car. Owners get one space per unit, but additional spaces cost $22,500.

After attending the March 15 workshop, he brought the idea to developer Ken Stoltenberg, who would consider setting aside a few spaces near the Martin project, provided he doesn't have to sign a rental guarantee.

"We thought it was a great concept,'' Scalf said. "It's very out there. We're brought up very traditional. We have to think outside the box.''

For anyone tired of owning a car, it might be worth a test drive.

THE LAST DROP: Looking to make room in your closet for some new spring fashions? Then bring your old suits to International Plaza's Grand Court from 5 to 7 tonight. I'll be there collecting gently worn two-piece business suits for Dress for Success, a group that helps women enter the job market. Stop by and say hi.

Susan Thurston can be reached at thurston@sptimes.com or 226-3394.

[Last modified March 24, 2006, 11:52:12]