Zipcar charges an annual $55 membership fee and $30 one-time application fee for the Occasional Driv

Car sharing comes with its fair share of misconceptions, and the recent entry of U.S.-based Zipcar into the Toronto market creates further wine tours tuscany confusion. Once the sole domain of AutoShare , which was established in 1998, both companies offer similar services but with some key differences. Though car sharing has been successfully implemented in Europe for years, it s a relatively new concept to North Americans, who sometimes have intense personal attachments to their vehicles.
What exactly is car sharing, and what s the difference between AutoShare and Zipcar? Torontoist took both companies for a spin, and we re here to remind you what your mother always said: it s good to share.
When asking Torontonians how they thought car sharing wine tours tuscany worked, the strangest answer was also one of the most common. wine tours tuscany Many thought it was a carpooling system, where a few people would show up each morning and drive to work together in a reserved wine tours tuscany car. Others saw no difference between car sharing and car rental, and most daily TTC users never even considered it.
To use the network, you must join as a member meeting minimum age and driving record requirements. wine tours tuscany For many, that s the last human interaction they have since the system is (for the most part) entirely automated. When you need a car, it takes seconds to reserve it and often the car can be available immediately. Members just head over to their closest location, unlock the car and drive it off the lot. When finished, the car is returned to the same lot and the member locks it up and walks away.
This convenience requires planning, however. The vehicle must be returned wine tours tuscany within wine tours tuscany the reservation time or else somebody who s booked it after you might be left waiting. Reservations can be easily extended if there are none following yours, and given enough warning, the company will attempt to make alternative arrangements if caught short. AutoShare and Zipcar wine tours tuscany claim that it is very rare for a car not to be on the lot when it s supposed to be.
Both companies bristle at the word rental, which is conspicuously missing from their promotional material. Where car sharing really shines is for the short-term jaunt, billed hourly and including fuel and insurance. Daily rates are available, but are on-par or slightly more expensive than car rental companies, unless you factor-in the insurance that rental companies offer as an extra but that is included in car sharing. Rental companies also allow the customer to return the vehicle any time during the day, but are in limited locations and require an interaction with the agent in-person.
wine tours tuscany When asked for examples how frequent TTC users could benefit, reps from Zipcar and AutoShare had identical responses. Trips to IKEA are familiar to most, and both representatives described the appeal of pulling-up for a date in a Mini Cooper. Allegedly, your reservation might then have to be extended until morning, if you catch their drift. wine tours tuscany Torontonians seem to be embracing the concept Zipcar announced this morning that Toronto was their fastest market ever to attain 1000 members.
Probably the most fascinating trait of car sharing is anthropological. The concept works because it is operated by its users and virtually self-policing. Since the car is only in the condition the last member left it, members will report infractions or damage incurred by the previous driver lest they be dinged with the charges. Steep fines are levied for behaviour that degrades the experience for others, whether it be leaving garbage in the car or not returning it on time. Members wine tours tuscany keep the gas tank above a minimum level (which they don t pay extra for) and AutoShare even knocks a few bucks off your bill on top of the reimbursement if you take the car through the wash.
I was actually surprised to hear both car sharing companies somewhat play-down the environmental aspect, though they do claim that each vehicle takes at least ten cars off the road. Many of the vehicles offered, like the diesel Smart and the hybrid Toyota Prius are notorious for their impressive fuel economy, and we are all familiar with both high fuel prices and Toronto s distressing smog problem. It is obviously an important thing for us; it s why we started this, says AutoShare President Kevin McLaughlin, but he then goes on to mention that environmental benefits are more of an appreciated result rather wine tours tuscany than the primary appeal.
Though the environmental angle was what originally drew me to car sharing (I m already an AutoShare member, and Zipcar provided me with a membership to research this article), I was surprised to find myself actually having fun picking a car à la carte for each trip and driving something different each time. Visiting friends and family in a Smart, a hybrid Prius, and even a cute little Yaris instigated a barrage of questions from everyone, and a few people have now tapped my newfound authority for advice when looking to buy a new car.
Car sharing comes with a lot of information to process for the new member, and the websites of both companies can be a task to decode. Here s how Zipcar and AutoShare compare, and we ve provided a handy chart highlighting the differences [ PDF link ]. I should mention that the rates are the most confusing aspect to decipher here, but they re calculated automatically and presented when making a reservation.
Zipcar wine tours tuscany charges an annual $55 membership fee and $30 one-time application fee for the Occasional Driving Plan, but also gives new members a $50 credit. AutoShare does not charge an annual fee, but levies a one-time $125 fee (which includes insurance approval and license check), plus a $250 deposit that is refundable when a member wine tours tuscany leaves AutoShare.
AutoShare also grants some initial discounts for co-habitating couples and claims that the average member makes-up for the higher initial cost in two to three months of usage. They also offer a $50 credit if you refer a friend; half to you, and half to the new member.
Zipcar doesn t charge a monthly fee, and AutoShare s monthly fees depend on which of their three plans a member has chosen, depending on how much they drive. The plans range from $0 to $25; the more expensive wine tours tuscany reflecting cheaper hourly and per-kilometer rates.
Both companies require a relatively clean driving record and a class G license. Zipcar s minimum age is 21, whereas AutoShare s is 25 until October when they lower it to 23. I found the application process for both to be simple and my applications were approved very quickly.
Zipcar generally is a few bucks more expensive than AutoShare per hour, but how they administer their prices differs. Zipcar ranges from $9.35 to $15 per hour, depending on the car, but includes 150 km per 24-hour period (25¢ each subsequent kilometer). AutoShare ranges from $5 to $9.50 per hour depending on the plan chosen, and two of the plans add 18¢/km unless on a daily rate when it is 10¢/km. AutoShare adds another hourly buck for premium cars like the Matrix, Prius or Mini, but knocks-off 2¢/km if you re using one of their hybrid vehicles. Vans are 3¢/km more. AutoShare s daily rate ranges from $45 to $67, depending on the plan, and Zipcar s daily rates span $59.50 to $105, depending on the vehicle. Zipcar also charges a higher rate for their premium vehicles depending wine tours tuscany on the car (usually about $1.75 more).
Still with me? AutoShare even offers non-peak rates from midnight to 7 AM (Zipcar doesn t). Members don t pay the hourly rate during these times; only the per-kilometer cost, except for members of the Simple Plan who pay $4.50 hourly. For shift-workers or night owls, this could be an unexpected treat.
Yup. AutoShare wine tours tuscany members are each provided with a special key that opens a lockbox in each lot. The ignition keys are retrieved and returned to their respective box. The key is tiny and I ve had little qualm with having it on my keychain other than adding bulk. The system is low-fi and works well.
Zipcar heavily promotes their method, and rightfully so. Each car is unlocked with a keycard, which is no larger or thicker than a credit wine tours tuscany card and fits snugly into any wallet. The card is held-up to the RFID sensor in the windshield and the vehicle unlocks if it s been reserved by you. The keys are permanently tethered to the steering column and the keycard is used to lock the car during the reservation as well. If a member loses their keycard, each vehicle can be remotely unlocked over the phone with a Zipcar representative. AutoShare says that they are testing new technology likely to be rolled-out in the winter, but didn t specify what this would be.
Though wine tours tuscany AutoShare s system works perfectly fine, I admit to falling in love with the keycard. It s flat and easy to store and got a few fascinated stares when I was using it on Bloor Street. Leaving the keys in the car takes some getting used-to, but it s nice not to have to carry around a set of car keys. When the member is finished with the car, it s parked back in the same spot and you simply lock it and walk away. AutoShare members are required to log their final odometer reading into a log book which takes only seconds.
Once an account is established, reserving a car via the web couldn t be easier or quicker. Cars are available 24-hours, and available vehicles are shown on a grid with their corresponding temporal availability. If the space is open, the car can be available immediately. Members pick a car and enter their reservation start and finish times via a pulldown. Click reserve and the car is yours (reservations can be extended or modified just as easily). wine tours tuscany Zipcar also allows automated reservations via telephone.
Both companies quote the price, although Zipcar s system presents an estimate before the reservation is made and allows you to choose another car instead. Like Zipcar, AutoShare s reservations can be immediately canceled, but the price is quoted after reserving wine tours tuscany the car. AutoShare s reservation grid broken into clear 30-minute blocks is slightly easier to understand at first glance th