Hoboken becomes 1st in the country to launch City-Wide Car Sharing Service

by: Jason Springer

Wed Jun 16, 2010 at 12:00:00 PM EDT

Now this seems like an innovative attempt to tackle many problems. They call it creative transportation demand management

The City of Hoboken, New Jersey and Connect by Hertz will launch "Corner Cars" - the country's first true city-wide car-sharing program on June 16th. With the roll-out of this program, more than 90 percent of Hoboken residents will live within a 5 minute walk of a car-sharing vehicle location.

The service will let residents rent a vehicle by the hour, day or week. Starting at $5 per hour, the rental includes gas, roadside assistance, navigation system, and insurance. And I love the way they frame the program as a benefit for not only the residents that utilize, but for the city as well. The quote is from a familiar face here at Blue Jersey:

As city spokesman Juan Melli put it, "We're attacking parking from the demand side, where previously people just looked at the supply side. This is like building a huge parking garage that doesn't cost anything." It's actually far better, from both a revenue and an urban perspective. Hertz will pay the city $100 a month for each Corner Car parking spot, generating at least $50,000 in annual city revenue at a time when all municipal budgets are stretched thin. And the city won't have to devote more real estate to parking, helping it maintain its walkable character.

Not only will they save thousands of dollars, they will actually make money on the move creating a recurring revenue stream. The city also noted that there will be less wear and tear on roads, creating fewer potholes to fix and less frequent repaving needed. Below the fold I'll put the breakdown of benefits the city provided. It seems like a winning move all around.

Jason Springer :: Hoboken becomes 1st in the country to launch City-Wide Car Sharing Service

For car-sharing members
Members will enjoy the convenience of never having to worry about finding a parking spot ever again and having a reserved parking space a short walk from home. Those who switch from car ownership can save thousands of dollars per year.

For low-income residents
Some residents may need the mobility of a personal vehicle but lack the ability to own one. Car-sharing is an affordable alternative with rates as low as $5 per hour - gas, roadside assistance, navigation system, and insurance included.

For other residents
Everyone benefits from car-sharing. Fewer cars on the streets means parking is easier for everyone. Less traffic means safer streets for children, less noise, less pollution, and less wear and tear on roads. Even those who own a car can benefit from using car-sharing vehicles for emergencies or when a car is being repaired.

For new/prospective residents
Car-sharing will add to the variety of multi-modal transportation options that make Hoboken an attractive place to live. With all the transportation options available - commuter rail, light rail, bus, ferries, our expanded Hop shuttle, new bike lanes and additional bike racks parking, and now our new city-wide car-sharing program, we hope new residents that move to Hoboken will reconsider whether they need to bring a car here at all.

For property owners
Real estate listings often highlight their proximity to public transit options. Now, those without private parking can similarly point to nearby car-sharing spaces as a convenient alternative and make their home more marketable.

For taxpayers
Instead of spending millions of dollars building structured parking, the first phase of the car-sharing program is expected to remove 750 cars from our streets, having the same effect on Hoboken's parking situation, but at no cost to taxpayers. Fewer cars on the streets means less wear and tear on roads, and that means fewer potholes to fix and less frequent repaving needed.