Cars and Parking
Join a Car Share Service
What Is It?
Car-sharing programs allow members to rent cars from numerous locations throughout a city or region for a pre-determined length of time, and later return them to their original location. Although primarily used for short-term rentals, the length of rental time can range anywhere from half an hour to several days, depending on the particular car-sharing service. Costs are also determined according to each car-sharing program’s business design. In most circumstances, car pickup locations in the city and car availability are online along with an online reservation tool. Gasoline and insurance are often covered under the terms of service.
A common reason that employees drive to work, as opposed to taking public transit, is that they worry they may need access to a car during the workday for errands or emergencies. By providing accessible and/or subsidized car-sharing, an employer can provide access to a car for employees who may need it during the day, reducing their need to commute to and from work by driving.
Employers can encourage employees to use a car-sharing service when needed by creating a corporate account for employees to use; subsidizing personal accounts; or, in the case of large employers, collaborating with the car-sharing company to install parking spots near the workplace.
Benefits
By giving employees easy access to a car during the workday when needed, they may feel less inclined to drive their own car to/from work each day. This can reduce total vehicle miles traveled and therefore lessen an organization’s environmental impact. In addition to the environmental benefits, car-sharing reduces traffic and helps employees save money on gasoline and automobile expenses.
Regulatory Impacts and Requirements
Section 7.16 of the 310 CMR 7.00: Air Pollution Control Regulations (the Massachusetts Rideshare Regulation) requires the following organizations to develop plans and set goals for reducing commuter drive-alone trips by 25%:
- Businesses with 1,000 or more applicable commuters
- Educational institutions with 1,000 or more applicable commuters
- Businesses with 250 or more applicable commuters that are also subject to the Massachusetts Air Operating Permit Program (310 CMR 7.00, Appendix C)
(MassDEP)
News
- "Get ready for even more cars on Boston streets," The Boston Globe, May 16, 2017
- “Now you can rent your car to strangers while you’re stuck at work,” The Boston Globe, May 10, 2017
- “Car-sharing's promise of clean cities,” EU Observer, May 25, 2016
RESOURCES
- Zipcar – car-sharing company
- Relay Rides – car-sharing service
- Getaround – car-sharing service
