Ithaca Carshare news updates

Ithaca Carshare vehicles available
ITHACA NY - June 23, 2008. Ithaca Carshare vehicles will be available for use on Wednesday June 25. The local nonprofit provides members self-service 24-hour access to 6 hatchbacks, with a pick-up truck expected shortly. Carshare members use an online reservation system to choose the vehicle they need at the time they need it. All six vehicles were driven by organizers in the Ithaca Festival parade on Thursday.

Vehicles will be located in several locations around town, including downtown, Collegetown, two locations on the Cornell campus, at Ithaca College, and at EcoVillage on West Hill. Both Ithaca College and Cornell are supporting participation by students and staff, and as a result, organizers expect to increase vehicles and locations around Ithaca within months.

Two membership plans are available. "Just in Case" is directed at people who have occasional use for a car or truck; and "It's My Car" caters to drivers who are looking for a way to replace car ownership or the need to own a second car. Details on costs and an application form are available at www.IthacaCarshare.org.

"We had over 50 applications even before cars were available," says Executive Director Jennifer Dotson, "and as those members start driving cars around, we think many others will start thinking about how Ithaca Carshare can save them money." Members pay an annual or monthly fee and then by the hour and mile for usage, which covers gas, insurance, cleaning, maintenance, and other vehicle ownership costs.

"People often don't consider all the hidden costs of owning a vehicle," notes board member Marian Brown, of Ithaca College, "Ithaca Carshare offers an opportunity to just pay for the slice of the vehicle you're using, rather than paying 24/7 for all the new brakes and fill-ups." Studies on the impacts of carsharing show that one carsharing vehicle can replace up to 15 privately owned vehicles. Dotson doesn't find this surprising; she says the average car spends 95% of its time parked.

Ithaca Carshare has received support in the pre-launch period from the New York State Department of Transportation and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, in addition to support from local institutions, including the City of Ithaca, the Ithaca-Tompkins County Transportation Council, EcoVillage at Ithaca, Cornell University, and Ithaca College.

Ithaca Carshare accepting enrollments
ITHACA NY - May 2, 2008. Ithaca Carshare is accepting applications bringing months of planning to fruition. The local nonprofit will provide members self-service 24-hour access to cars and a pick-up truck by June. Carshare members will use an online reservation system to choose the vehicle they need, the time they need it, and where they can pick it up.

“We’re very excited to finally be able to accept enrollments,” said executive director Jennifer Dotson. Ithaca Carshare has had to overcome two major setbacks. Getting reasonable rates on insurance has been difficult, explained Dotson, and, in late 2007, a collaboration with a national carsharing firm fell through when the firm was sold.

The carshare service continued to seek affordable insurance and now has excellent coverage for both college students and the general public. An alliance with other independent carshares around the country and in Canada, as well as being able to tap into a proven Internet-based Metavera reservation system, has helped Ithaca Carshare go forward on its own, said Dotson. Strong support from local partners, including Cornell, Ithaca College, the City of Ithaca, Tompkins County, and EcoVillage at Ithaca, plus from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority in Albany, has also kept the carshare momentum going.

The service will offer two membership plans, one called “Just in Case,” for the person who has occasional use for a car or truck; and “It’s My Car,” which caters to drivers who are looking for a way to replace car ownership or the need to own a second car. Membership fees start at $50 a year, then members pay an hourly and per mile charge that covers all other costs, including gas and insurance, according to Dotson. To encourage local residents to sign up early, the organization is currently discounting their application fee from $30 to $15.

Ithaca Carshare anticipates that vehicles will be available by June 1 in the downtown area on Seneca at Cayuga (in front of Dewitt Mall), Cayuga at Farm (near Gimme! Coffee); in Collegetown on College at Dryden; on the Cornell campus on Tower Road at Garden and near the Dairy Bar; at Ithaca College; and at EcoVillage. Most of the cars will be new Nissan Versa hatchbacks, with one Ford Ranger pickup truck.

David Lieb, Assistant Director of Transportation for Cornell University, is working on a way for Cornell staff and students who ride the bus to work to get a break on Ithaca Carshare membership fees. “With carsharing, staff and students who commute by bus or carpool will get access to a car parked very conveniently on campus,” said Lieb.

Strong early enrollment will help the organization. The sooner the vehicles can be purchased and placed at their locations, said Dotson. Enrollment information is posted on the Ithaca Carshare website at www.ithacacarshare.org.

Ithaca Carshare launch delayed by Flexcar/Zipcar merger
ITHACA NY - November 8, 2007. Last week’s merger of the two largest national carsharing firms, Flexcar and Zipcar, will delay Ithaca Carshare’s launch date. The Ithaca-based organization had been hoping to become an affiliate of Flexcar and to open for business later this year.

“We had been working since May on an agreement to become part of the Flexcar network while maintaining our own not-for-profit local identity,” said Jennifer Dotson, Ithaca Carshare executive director. “Now we have learned that the new merged firm is not interested in that kind of model.”

The two national firms have joined together to create a single carsharing network under the Zipcar brand, operating in 15 major metropolitan areas.

“We are extremely disappointed,” said David Lieb, president of the Ithaca Carshare board of directors. “A week before the merger was publicly announced, we were still in contract talks with Flexcar, with the understanding that we were ironing out the last details that would have meant a launch this fall. This news came at us out of the blue.”

Before talks with Flexcar began, Ithaca Carshare had planned to launch independently, but was stymied by high auto liability insurance rates. “We were interested in the affiliation because it meant access to affordable auto insurance, and included eligibility for 18- to 20-year old college students,” said Dotson.

Ithaca Carshare has been looking steadily at alternative strategies, said Dotson, including teaming with other independents. Ithaca Carshare is part of a growing network of independent carsharing organizations that has over 2,000 cars and 75,000 members in nine US and Canadian cities and which recently agreed on a shared code of ethics.

“Carsharing is a growing industry,” said Dotson, “and there’s great potential for us to work with this group on insurance and on shared car access in other cities served by independent carsharing organizations.”

Dotson and Lieb reiterated Ithaca Carshare’s unchanged commitment to bring carsharing to the local community.

Ithaca Carshare to launch this fall
ITHACA NY - October 2, 2007. Less than two years since carsharing was envisioned for Ithaca, a locally controlled carshare service is close to opening for business. "As soon as we have confirmation of our collaborative agreements, Ithaca Carshare will invite pre-enrollments," said Dotson. "This step will be important in helping us know where to place the cars."

Ithaca Carshare plans to place ten cars to start. The exact locations have not been determined, but members will have access to vehicles in the downtown area, on Ithaca's two college campuses, and at EcoVillage at Ithaca.

"A tremendous effort has gone into developing partnerships and collaborations," said Dotson. "We are finalizing agreements with Flexcar, a national carshare firm that will help us get up to speed very quickly, as well as with Cornell University and Ithaca College."

With a population of just over 30,000, Ithaca may be the smallest city in the U.S. to adopt carsharing. Market research indicates that the community, which has a growing reputation for being "green," will embrace the service.

Ithaca Carshare incorporated as a not-for-profit and was awarded nearly $180,000 in support funding in 2006. A small board of directors and Ithaca Carshare's executive director Jennifer Dotson have been steadily working behind the scenes to bring the concept to fruition.

Ithaca Carshare receives start-up funding
ITHACA NY - December 1, 2006. Ithaca Carshare has been awarded $177,220 to support its first two years of operation. Organizers plan to offer the first carsharing services in the Ithaca area as early as next spring and to expand operations later in 2007.

Carsharing works on a membership basis, explained Tim Logue, City of Ithaca Transportation Engineer and a member of the Ithaca Carshare steering committee. Members who sign up have 24-hour access to a variety of new, clean, insured, and well-maintained vehicles that may be rented by the hour. Carsharing solves many transportation problems for people who don't want the burden of owning a car for occasional use.

Ithaca Carshare
in the news

Ithaca College Intercom, June 27, 2008: “Ithaca Carshare now available on campus” by Marian Brown (link)

Ithaca Journal, June 26, 2008: “Ithaca Carshare starts its engines” by Linda Stout (link)

Cornell Chronicle, June 26, 2008: "Cornell-supported Ithaca Carshare provides vehicles for pickup at your nearest 'pod'" by Franklin Crawford (link)

WSTM NBC3 Central New York, June 25, 2008: "Ithaca's 'Car Share' program” by Kristen Drew (link with video)

News 10 Now Syracuse, June 25, 2008: "Ithaca Car share program begins” by Allison Lazarz (link with video)

WTVH Syracuse, June 25, 2008: "Ithaca Carshare" (link with video)

WENY Elmira, June 25, 2008: "'Car Share' Hits Streets of Ithaca" by Ted Fioraliso (link with video)
 

WSYR News Channel 9 Syracuse, June 24, 2008: "Ithaca Car Sharing Program Launched 6/25/08" by Tanja Babich (link with video)

Boston Globe, June 24, 2008: "Upstate NY program offers car sharing" (link)

CNN Money, June 24, 2008: "Upstate NY program offers carsharing" (link)

Forbes, June 24, 2008: "Upstate NY program offers car sharing" (link)

Newsday, June 24, 2008: "Ithaca program offers way for residents to share cars" (link)

Ithaca Journal, June 24, 2008: "Ithaca Carshare vehicles available for use Wednesday" (link)

Syracuse Post Standard, June 21, 2008: "Sharing the ride" by Rebecca James (link)

Ithaca Times, November 14, 2007: "Yellow Light - Corporate merger puts brakes on Ithaca Carshare program" Journal news staff (PDF)

Ithaca Journal, November 12, 2007: "Follow file - Carshare in works despite national merger" Journal news staff (PDF)

Ithaca Journal, January 5, 2007: “Carsharing: An idea that deserves an opportunity” by Journal editorial staff (PDF)

Tompkins Weekly, December 18-24, 2006: “Car share effort gets jump start” by Danielle Klock (PDF)

Ithaca Community News, December 12, 2006: “Ithaca car share wins grants” by Elizabeth Bauchner (link)

Lansing Star, December 8, 2006: “Ithaca Carshare receives start-up funding” (link)