Motor vehicles are a terrible asset. On average, their values depreciate by a tenth instantly upon being purchased, and by six-tenths after only five years.  They are one of the most expensive belonging to upkeep with petrol, insurance, maintenance, and, oftentimes, the necessity of paying off the initial price with interest over time.  For their price, vehicles also spend a lot of time unused. Between driving to work and potentially engaging in one or two activities each day, most people’s cars sit around for at least 22 hours each day—more than 90% of the time.

Nonetheless, people still need cars, at least for the time being. Winnipeg was designed with cars in mind. Even though bike lanes continue to be built, suburban sprawl makes them difficult to use effectively, some people are unable to use public transportation options, and cars still have their uses in hauling and moving long distances quickly. The solution for many is car share services.

Carshares are exactly what they sound like: they allow multiple people to share a vehicle, splitting the cost of ownership and all reaping the same benefits. Most work either by having users book the vehicle for a designated period in advance and having multiple users book out for the same car to be used for roundtrips, or by having users spontaneously access vehicles and leave them wherever inside a usage zone (or at at particular checkpoints). Not only are they remarkably inexpensive for users, but they also give people access to vehicles which they may only need very rarely, such as a work van or truck for moving goods.

In Winnipeg, the largest carshare program is Peg City Car Co-op. Beyond having more than a hundred vehicles open to users, it is also run by its members, meaning its rates are fair and its service is well-maintained. Over the past thirteen years, it expanded quickly and continues to grow to meet new demands. Their “Who We Are” (at http://www.pegcitycarcoop.ca/about/who-we-are/) page is worth a read for understanding their philosophy and the reasons why their members carshare.

It is worth considering alternative modes of transportation as getting around remains one of the most needlessly expensive necessities in our car-dependent city. Cycling and taking the bus are decent alternatives to driving, but sometimes cars are still needed for almost everybody. This is why carshares exist.