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

Related Content

  • March 27, 2012
    Zipcar to control Spain’s largest car sharing operator
    Zipcar, a leading car sharing network, has announced the exercise of its option to purchase a majority ownership interest in Barcelona-based Catalunya Carsharing, known as Avancar. The company operates a fleet of vehicles throughout the cities of Barcelona and Sant Cugat del Valles. The transaction is expected to be completed in early 2012, and builds on Zipcar's initial equity investment in Avancar in December 2009. With this transaction, Zipcar increases its percentage ownership in Avancar to a controlli
    Read More
  • December 15, 2015
    Mobility as a Service gaining traction in US and Europe
    As Mobility as a Service starts to move into the mainstream of transport planning, David Crawford compares European and North American initiatives. Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a concept fast gaining traction on both sides of the Atlantic as a way of giving travellers digital multimodal one-stop shops and journey planning tools as an alternative to private car use. Planned delivery methods include subscription-based travel packages in Europe, and 'mobility aggregator' apps, including employee commute ben
    Read More
  • September 13, 2016
    Volvo and KPMG find buses are key to urban air quality
    Buses can play a key role in the battle to improve air quality in towns and cities as David Crawford discovers. A city with a population of half a million would gain about US$12.3 million in annualised societal savings if all its buses ran on electricity instead of diesel. This is the conclusion of a wide-ranging analysis carried out by Swedish bus manufacturer Volvo Group and global business consultants KPMG.
    Read More
  • May 1, 2021
    Sustainable mobility: innovative solutions needed to reduce traffic emissions
    Kapsch TrafficCom’s Mobility Report 2021 reveals how new ITS measures such as vehicle connectivity and AI-based data processing can help create joined-up traffic management
    Read More

Highlighted Content