This is an effective means of severing the car ownership bond for those who cannot completely give up the use of a car. Auto Share is modelled on successful car-sharing organizations in Europe and elsewhere in Canada. Quebec City, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria have had established car-shares for the past two to four years. In Quebec City, car-share members receive a discount on transit passes as a further incentive to use public transportation rather than the automobile. When a car is needed, it is far more cost effective to use Auto Share than to purchase, insure and maintain a private vehicle.
Members pay a small monthly administration fee to cover their share of the fixed costs of the car.
Other than that, a low hourly and kilometre rate is charged and billed monthly, similar to a utility bill. Auto Share covers all maintenance, insurance and gas costs. Cars are booked with a simple phone call 24-hours a day. Auto Share launched in September in the downtown Toronto neighbourhoods of Riverdale, the Annex and St. Lawrence Market and plans to expand across the city over the following 12 to 18 months. As air quality issues are one of our main reasons for starting this initiative, we are actively exploring the use of alternative fuels vehicles.