Worldchanging writers and readers are interested in ways to reduce the impact of cars on our environment. Car-sharing has been discussed in several articles. I know a number of people who do not own cars and prefer to rely on public transportation to get around. Occasionally, however, they need the use of a car to go to locations that the Max or Tri-Met just doesn't accomodate.

I was glad to learn that the FlexCar car-sharing service has a growing presence in many U.S. cities, including Portland. Here's how FlexCar describes their process of car-sharing:

"You reserve a car online or by phone; you drive - to a meeting, to run errands, or to hit the lumber yard; and you return to the car's designated parking space, all for one hourly rate that covers gas, premium insurance and 150 free miles."

An appealing feature of FlexCar is the convenient location of the available cars. For example, Portland State University students and faculty can pick up a car from a variety of parking places close to campus. FlexCar also offers discounts to a number of local groups, including customers and employees of New Seasons, members of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and SMART reading volunteers to name a few.

It looks like on March 1 they even want to buy you lunch!

If you have used the FlexCar or any other vehicle-sharing service, please comment to this post about your experience...we really want to hear if car-sharing works as well as we hope.

I just wanted to chime and state that I have been using flexcar for a few years now here in Portland. As a PSU employee who purchases an annual Tri-Met pass I also am eligible for a low annual flexcar membership (the first year was free!). If I need to use a flexcar to run to a short meeting or personal appointment during the weekday I can do so and bill the carshare to PSU. This is great because I can continue to bike or bus into work even on those days when I have to go off campus for work or doctors appointments!

I am sad that the city of Portland decided to withdraw some of Flexcar's city parking spaces. This has cut down a smidge on the number of available cars near campus but I've never had problems reserving a vehicle, even at the last minute, although sometimes it means walking a few extra blocks to an available vehicle.

Cars are easy to reserve online, easy to refuel (with a universal fueling card) and even come with flyers to put on the windshield's of people who accidentally park in the flexcar space!

Posted by: rosebengal on February 23, 2007 4:12 PM

Flexcar is the best! I have been a member since 2002, shortly after the company started, and it has kept our family of four (two kids in school) a one-car family. I have used Flexcar for trips as short as a half-hour to pick up a sick child unexpectedly from school, and as long as a day-trip to Corvallis for an interview. I live in NE Portland, and a Flexcar is a 5 minute walk from my home. I have a bumper sticker on our famly car that reads "My other car is a Flexcar" and some people wonder if it is a joke, but it has given me many opportunities to proselytize on Flexcar's behalf.

People ask me "isn't $9 an hour a lot to pay for the service?" In the big picture, Flexcar has saved me literally thousands of dollars. Joining Flexcar is probably among the most valuable "investments" I have ever made, in terms of payback.

Posted by: Ted on February 28, 2007 6:09 PM