Shaw's convinced he can get by without a car most of the time. He usually bikes or walks about two miles to work, sometimes takes a bus, and occasionally calls a cab or rents a car. Plus, he seldom needs a car all day. With Flexcar, he can sign up for a car by the hour and is charged only for the time it takes to run his errands. The fees are based on time and mileage, with bills issued at the end of the month.
Options exist, however, that lower the rates.
On average, he says, he uses a Flexcar about twice a week to run errands. This early success leads Shaw to believe Flexcar will survive after start-up public subsidies are removed. King County has a two-year agreement to partly fund the operation as it gets established. A larger membership is advantageous for Shaw, since it means more car locations and the recent addition of a pickup truck to the 17-vehicle fleet. These are left in clearly marked parking spots in public lots, an arrangement worked out in conjunction with the city, which supports traffic-easing initiatives.