A new for-profit car share could be hitting the streets of Victoria.
Victoria councillors have given the green light to test-drive a $2,000 per year, per car fee that will allow Car2go vehicles to be parked at metered stalls.
The largest car-share organization in Canada, Car2go operates in Vancouver, Seattle, Calgary and Toronto.
Unlike the existing car share in Victoria, the Victoria Car Share Co-operative, which operates under the name Modo, Car2go uses a “free-floating” model, councillors have been told.
“Free-floating car share is also known as one-way car share and it permits member drivers to pick up a vehicle in one location and drop it off in another,” said Allison Ashcroft, the city’s senior planner.
“Two-way car share, such as that with Victoria Car Share Co-op … has a reserved parking space for each vehicle and requires that that vehicle be returned to that space at the end of the reservation.”
City staff proposed a one-year test for Car2go. Because all of its vehicles are GPS-equipped, the company will be able to provide usage reports to determine how many hours vehicles were parked in metered parking spaces.
“It could be that we could adjust the price at that time to more accurately reflect the true usage,” Ashcroft said.
Car2go spokesman Brad Ducey said Victoria is one of many areas being looked at for expansion, but he could not provide more information on the company’s plans. Its Vancouver website lists fees of $35-plus-tax for a one-time sign-up fee, plus user rates of 41 cents per minute, $14.99 per hour, $84.99 per day and 45 cents per kilometre after 200 kilometres.
Councillors have instructed staff to amend the streets and traffic bylaw to permit free-floating car share and to establish a $2,000-a-year per vehicle fee for parking.
Once the bylaw is amended, Car2go vehicles displaying a decal would be allowed to park in metered spaces without further payment and without regard to time limits.
In residential zones, vehicles with decals would be allowed to park on the street if the driver lives there, is visiting an occupant, or conducting business or performing a service.
Coun. Chris Coleman said car shares are growing and “are a trend that we’re going to have to wrap our minds around.
“We know it’s going to grow. It seems to be a model that’s working and, therefore, it’s now getting competition.”
In an interview, Coleman said at least one hotel in the city is considering a fleet of about 10 Smart cars. He said the hotel management is open to making those vehicles available in the off-season as a car share for the Downtown Residents Association.
Victoria Car Share Co-operative operates a fleet of 23 vehicles and has about 800 members, city staff say. A merger with Modo allows members to book cars in both Victoria and Vancouver.
The co-op has eight city parking spaces, but because it is a non-profit, there is no fee for the six on-street spaces and a 50 per cent discount for two parkade stalls.
In a letter to the city, the co-op board says it hopes Car2go will complement its service and increase public awareness.
“However, it is impossible to know how Car2go will impact our bottom line. In this small market, we may see a negative impact to revenues in the short and/or long term as consumers share their transportation budgets between two services,” the letter says.
