The Benefits of Sharing: City CarShare at UCSF

By Helen S. Block
Contributing Writer

Based on car-sharing programs begun in Europe in the 1980s, and started as a non-profit in San Francisco in 2001, City CarShare is simply a green success story, an inexpensive solution for people who don’t want to own a car but may need one occasionally. With more than 100 pick up/drop off locations, including all UCSF campuses, and the ability to reserve a car, van and even now a pick-up truck 24/7, ease of use is guaranteed. As a bonus, if you work or are enrolled at UCSF, you get a special discount rate when booking a car for your personal use.

With that in mind, I decided to interview several UCSF people about this program – Abbey Zubov, director of Audit Services, Millicent Magiera , CP&FM Facilities Manager at Mission Bay, and computer resource specialists Daniel Freeman, Maggie Bartlett, and Noah Pal of the CLS IS Dept. I also chatted with City CarShare Outreach Director Anita Daley.

How did people find out about this program? UCSF Transportation Services has promoted City CarShare since its inception in July 2006. They get the word out via a variety of media outlets and participate in employee orientations; they also attend a variety of UCSF events such as Earth Fest, student fairs and safety fairs, which has helped some 43 departments sign on.

The good stuff: The main reason people are using City CarShare is money saved over using a departmental car or keeping a fleet car, and it offers an alternative to using the shuttle.
Renting a car online any time was cited as a big help over going to an office as one would through a major car rental company. For people at locations like MCB, where two of the cars are parked all the time, using CCS is the #1 choice for short trips. Moreover, with CCS’s special parking permit you can park easily at any UCSF lot. And “it’s fun to drive other types of cars!” enthused Millicent Magiera. “I was glad when we got the Prius here.”

“It helps alleviate parking issues,” says Anita Daley. “You manage your time more efficiently as you tend to cluster your errands. It costs hundreds and hundreds of dollars to own & operate a car in San Francisco. Think of how much this saves you each month to use a car occasionally and more efficiently.”

“You can include family members in your special discount rate if you live on Campus in Aldea Student Housing” said Robert Wong, supervisor and Rideshare coordinator of Transportation Services. “One thing we ask you don’t do is use the cars to teach someone how to drive…we had that happen recently, and there’s too many liability issues! But if you have any questions about the program, feel free to send them to me or contact City CarShare.”

Down sides: Abbey Zubov, as an auditor, points out that there are penalties for returning the car late or forgetting to lock the doors, for which the University pays. A couple of people mentioned that there are still a lack of PODS in the Richmond and the Sunset districts, where a lot of students and UCSF workers live.

And often one cannot book the car on very short notice as one can a rental car; a couple of days are usually required due to the program’s rapid growth.

Conclusion: The City CarShare program is genuinely enjoyed and appreciated by all who use it, flaws and all. And the contract with UCSF for our discounts was just renewed in July. Get the word out to your department, friends and neighbors: drive less and enjoy it more.

http://www.citycarshare.org/

http://www.sustainlane.com/reviews/city-carshare/KF1VHO38HQ7DN888Q9ZHYYBCD8YO

Helen S. Block is a CP&FM Archives Analyst and Transportation Sustainability Committee Workgroup member.