Community CarShare

Community CarShare
Non-profit co-op
Industry Carsharing
Founded April 1, 1998 (April 1, 1998)
Waterloo Region
Founder Marc Xuereb, Daryl Novak, and others
Headquarters Kitchener
Area served
 Waterloo Region, Hamilton, Guelph, St. Catharines, London; Brampton, and Burlington forthcoming
Services Carsharing
Number of employees
 7
Website Official site

Community CarShare was a carsharing co-op in southern Ontario that was founded in 1998. It ran into financial trouble and was acquired by Vrtucar in 2018.[1]

They operated in Waterloo Region, Hamilton,[2] Guelph,[3] St. Catharines,[4] London,[5] and Brampton.[6]

The co-op was founded in 1998 as Ontario's first carsharing program[7] under the name The People's Car Co-operative Inc.. At the 2014 AGM the members of the co-op voted to change the incorporated name to Community CarShare Co-operative, Inc.

History

The Founding Years 1998-2005

Community CarShare began in Waterloo Region on April 1, 1998. It was started by a group of 10 friends who had a car donated to them, but didn't want to deal with the costs of car ownership. The first car was located in the City of Waterloo, near the corner of Bridgeport and Peppler street.

Local Expansion 2005- 2009

In Fall 2007, the co-op expanded its service into Cambridge when it added a tenth vehicle to the fleet. As part of the growth into Cambridge, the organization updated its operating name from The People's Car Co-op to Grand River CarShare, to reflect the environmental benefits of carsharing and to localize the name of the co-op.

Province Wide Expansion 2009-2014

In April 2009, the co-op's geographic borders expanded again when a group of Hamiltonians decided to join the co-op and expand service to that city under the co-op's second operating name, Hamilton CarShare. In less than five months, 50 new members were recruited, and three vehicles were launched in Hamilton in September 2009. Expansion to St. Catharines and Guelph in 2013 led to the adoption of the name Community CarShare in order to simplify the use of the name and convey the values of the organization.

There are currently 76 vehicles available to members, with the majority of them located in Kitchener-Waterloo. The fleet includes many vehicles such as the Toyota Yaris, Corolla, Matrix, Prius C, plug-in Prius, Tacoma, the fully electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV,[8][9] a Ford Transit Connect cargo van, Mazda 5 station wagon, and Dodge Caravan mini van.

Rural expansion

Community CarShare expanded to rural Elmira (population ~8,000 people) north of Waterloo.[10] All vehicles in the fleet equipped with winter tires and can be delivered to a specific location.[11]

See also

References

  1. ↑ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/vrtucar-communauto-community-careshare-kw-waterloo-hamilton-1.4594729
  2. ↑ Mousavi, Sherry. "CarShare adds McMaster Innovation Park as seventh city location". The Hamilton Spec.
  3. ↑ "(Press Release) CarShare program launches at Guelph". University of Guelph.
  4. ↑ Farooqui, Salmaan. "Car sharing service brings popular concept to St. Catharines". Saint Catharines Standard.
  5. ↑ "New car-sharing company wheeling into London". CTV News.
  6. ↑ "Community CarShare offers alternative to high cost of car ownership". Brampton Guardian.
  7. ↑ http://communitycarshare.ca/about-carshare/history/
  8. ↑ "CarShare goes electric". Waterloo Record.
  9. ↑ http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/gettingAround/CommunityCarShare.asp
  10. ↑ "Grand River CarShare expanding to Elmira". Waterloo Record.
  11. ↑ "Quantum Carshare set to magically materialize on Sunday". Waterloo Record.
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