car2go Toronto Relaunching With On-Street Parking
On-Street Parking Will Unlock car2go's Full Convenience and Gridlock-Busting Benefits
TORONTO, March 22, 2016 /CNW/ -- car2go, the world leader in one-way carsharing, announced today that it will relaunch its innovative service in Toronto on March 31st with full access to on-street parking in Toronto for the first time, making car2go vehicles much more convenient to use and park when finished.
CLICK TO TWEET: Biggest thing in TO since Bautista's bat flip? car2go adds on-street parking to reconnect Toronto
Of car2go's 27 locations worldwide, Toronto has been the only city where members could not end trips at available on-street parking spaces. The addition of on-street parking for car2go in Toronto represents an important step toward providing Torontonians with the full car2go carsharing experience.
"The ability to end a car2go trip on-street is a real game-changer for our members," said Mark Latchford, General Manager, car2go Toronto. "Now, our members can complete their car2go trip at a street parking space in front of their own home and leave the vehicle for one of their neighbors to use next. We know from experience that this is how carsharing works best, and we're thrilled to finally bring this option to Toronto."
The ability to start and end drives in on-street residential parking is already enjoyed by car2go members in every other car2go city worldwide. Beginning March 31st, car2go carsharing drivers will enjoy the same parking rights as motorists in personal vehicles at no additional cost. Here's how it works:
- Members still locate parked vehicles and begin a rental using the car2go app
- Then, members simply drive where they need to go and end their trip in any approved parking space, including:
- Residential on-street spaces: Members are free to park at residential on-street spaces within the new Home Area. Members will be asked to avoid restricted parking areas like Rush Hour zones, metered spaces and snow routes. And just like in personal vehicles, all parking laws still apply – no parking in front of fire hydrants, for example.)
- Dedicated lots: In areas where on-street parking is limited, members will still have the option to utilize lot-based parking. The car2go app will show members parking lots in which car2go trips can be completed. In Green P parking lots, members can still park in any available space.
- Members are not responsible for any parking tickets, so long as they abide by car2go's simple parking guidelines. More info on these rules can be found here.
"There is notable potential for cities like Toronto to benefit from alternative mobility options like one-way carsharing," said Susan Shaheen, Co-Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at the University of California Berkeley. "It's not just about convenience. When flexible mobility options are available, people become empowered to think beyond private vehicle ownership and use. A multi-modal solution, which blends public transit and shared mobility options like car2go, offers an innovative strategy to travelers, particularly in cities where congestion and parking availability are a challenge."
In cities that allow shared vehicles to utilize on-street parking, car2go is already a key part of solving gridlock and moving people throughout crowded areas. When carsharing is convenient enough to fit into the day-to-day lives of urbanites, they are more likely to use it – and more confident in using other options like public transit, knowing they have car2go as a backup. This translates to less overall congestion and improved parking availability in dense urban areas like Toronto.
car2go's decision to implement on-street parking follows repeated efforts to convince the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee to establish regulations for parking shared vehicles on-street. Nearly 6,000 signed a petition late last year urging Public Works to allow on-street parking, but Council members were unwilling to set specific guidelines, pointing instead to existing parking laws.
"While on-street parking for shared vehicles in Toronto is a positive step, we would prefer to have the City as an engaged, active partner," added Nick Hill, Regional Director of car2go. "It is unfortunate that the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee and staff did not take full advantage of this unique opportunity. We're still eager to work with the city, but in the meantime we are not waiting any longer – we're moving forward to deliver Toronto members the full car2go experience they deserve."
About car2go N.A., LLC
car2go N.A., LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation, offers an innovative mobility solution in rapidly growing urban areas via a carsharing network of eco-friendly smart fortwo vehicles around the world. A flexible and "on demand" mode of transportation, car2go complements existing public transportation by bridging the gaps between the "first and last mile" of a member's commute. Today, car2go's global operation is the largest, fastest-growing carsharing program in the world with more than 1,000,000 registered members in 27 locations across the globe.
The innovation and environmental sustainability of car2go have earned international acclaim, including TripAdvisor's 2015 "Travelers' Choice" award, "Best Carshare" from the Vancouver Courier, "2015 Best CarSharing Service" from Best of D.C., "2014 Best CarSharing App" from Best of D.C., recognition from the Austin Chamber of Commerce with the "Greater Austin Business Award" for its positive impact on the city's traffic, and the prestigious "2010 EPA Clean Air Excellence Award" from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Further information on car2go is available at car2go.com and media.daimler.com/ms/car2go/e.
About Daimler
Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet management, insurance, financial investments, credit cards, and innovative mobility services.
The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, Daimler continues to shape the future of mobility today:
The Group's focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal and fascinate. Daimler consequently invests in the development of alternative drive trains with the long-term goal of emission-free driving: from hybrid vehicles to electric vehicles powered by battery or fuel cell. Furthermore, the company follows a consistent path towards accident-free driving and intelligent connectivity all the way to autonomous driving. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment.
Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Africa. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world's most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, as well as Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes me, the brands smart, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, FUSO, Setra and Thomas Built Buses, and Daimler Financial Services' brands: Mercedes-Benz Bank, Mercedes-Benz Financial, Daimler Truck Financial, moovel, car2go and mytaxi. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2015, the Group sold around 2.9 million vehicles and employed a workforce of 284,015 people; revenue totalled €149.5 billion and EBIT amounted to €13.2 billion.
SOURCE car2go N.A., LLC
Brad Ducey, 512-580-0473, [email protected], http://car2go.com
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