Benefits of car share quantified

San Francisco Bay Area had fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less congestion in 2010 due to City CarShare's (CCS) service. According to results third-party studies and 2010 CCS data, City CarShare members saved US$82 million (over the cost of car ownership) and contributed to a greener environment by reducing 60 million pounds of CO2 emissions last year. Additionally, City CarShare, a Bay Area nonprofit, stated it continued to achieve financial sustainability in 2010, ensuring the 10-year old organisation
May 21, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
San Francisco Bay Area had fewer greenhouse gas emissions and less congestion in 2010 due to 5649 City CarShare’s (CCS) service. According to results third-party studies and 2010 CCS data, City CarShare members saved US$82 million (over the cost of car ownership) and contributed to a greener environment by reducing 60 million pounds of CO2 emissions last year. Additionally, City CarShare, a Bay Area nonprofit, stated it continued to achieve financial sustainability in 2010, ensuring the 10-year old organisation will continue to serve the Bay Area for years to come.

For ten years, City CarShare has been encouraging locals to give up their cars or forego buying one by offering its members 24/7 hourly access to a fleet of conveniently located unstaffed and fuel-efficient vehicles. As a nonprofit, City CarShare’s transit-oriented model of carsharing measures its success based on the benefits its service brings to the Bay Area.

Based on UC Berkeley studies, EPA and 4939 AAA data, City CarShare members decreased their carbon footprints while collectively saving $82 million in transportation costs. Combined, it is claimed that City CarShare members:

  • Reduced congestion on Bay Area roads with over 60,000 fewer vehicle miles travelled per day.
  • Reduced CO2 emissions by over 60 million pounds, in 2010.
  • Increased their use of public transit, walking and biking by up to 49 per cent (since joining CCS). This equates to an increase of more than 2,500 hours per week of additional environmentally friendly transportation.
  • Saved up to $6,000 per household per year over the cost of owning their own car.
Air Quality & Weather Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Road safety - the challenge ahead
    April 25, 2012
    More than 1.3 million people die in road accidents each year. If nothing is done, this already chilling figure risks to rise to 1.9 million deaths per year. Around 90 per cent of road fatalities occur in emerging and developing countries. Here, the mixture of population growth and higher numbers of vehicles due to rising incomes are proving a deadly combination, as infrastructure and regulatory environment have difficulty keeping pace.
    Read More
  • Greensboro Transit Authority lo debut Poterra electric bus fleet
    November 15, 2017
    Manufacturer of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles Proterra has announced that Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) will purchase four of its electric buses this fall as part of a joint effort to minimize emissions, reduce traffic congestion and accelerate sustainable infrastructure development. The 40-foot Proterra buses will replace retiring fossil fuel buses and are designed with the intention of eliminating more than 1.2 million lbs of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Over their 12-year lifespan, the
    Read More
  • London's shared bikes go electric
    September 12, 2022
    TfL's Santander Cycles scheme adds 500 e-bikes in UK capital and changes fare structure
    Read More
  • Smart parking key to sustainable urban mobility
    April 26, 2013
    Smart parking looks like a market poised to take off in the US. It could bring many benefits, not just for parking facility operators and their customers but also for society as a whole. Steven Bayless, senior director, telecommunications and telematics at ITS America, looks at some of the opportunities and challenges involved. Parking is an estimated $24-25 billion industry in the US and although highly fragmented, it is experiencing a growing trend towards consolidation and outsourcing of parking operatio
    Read More

Highlighted Content