Jennifer Campbell

With fuel prices reaching record highs, parking space fees that would make loan sharks envious and a road system seemingly designed to consume gas, even the most ardent Calgary drivers are seeking transportation alternatives.

While many are increasingly turning to public transit and bicycle commuting, there are times when vehicles are necessary. Enter car sharing, a concept that allows those who choose to forgo owning a vehicle the ability to rent one by the hour. Conceived in Switzerland in 1987, car sharing quickly spread throughout Europe, eventually making its way to North America in 1993. By 1999, the idea arrived in Calgary in the form of the Calgary Alternative Transportation Co-operative (CATCO).

Recently given a Corporate Award for Environmental Achievement by the City of Calgary, CATCO now has its sights set on expanding its eight-vehicle fleet to 11 by the end of the year. “I think we’re going to be seeing some great growth,” says CATCO co-ordinator and co-founder Cody Torgerson. Operating inside a non-descript office on the third floor of the old YMCA building on 12th Ave. S.W., Torgerson says CATCO is poised to capitalize on what he describes as a “perfect storm” of increased environmental awareness, skyrocketing fuel prices and population densification in the downtown core.

While CATCO has grown significantly from its one-vehicle operation less than a decade ago, Calgary’s landmass population ratio is not as favourably suited for car sharing as other, more densely populated municipalities. Co-operatives in cities with higher population density tend to be more successful than those with a thinly spread populace. Calgary’s land area (one of the largest in North America) roughly covers over 5,100 square kilometres and has a population density of only 211 persons per square kilometre. Vancouver, by comparison, has a land area of 2,877 square kilometres and 735 persons per square kilometre. One of that city’s car share programs, the Co-operative Auto Network, is a non-profit outfit with over 200 vehicles and 3,000 members.

However, with Calgary’s downtown core pockmarked with highrise condominium construction projects, CATCO could take advantage of the subsequent population growth in the core. Other groups, seeing the potential of the program, are climbing on board as well. The City of Calgary has expressed interest in the program, providing designated parking spaces for a couple of the vehicles at no cost, a rarity when compared to other municipalities with car share programs. According to City of Calgary communications strategist Derek Heric, the city plans to continue working with CATCO by providing on-street parking spaces and by identifying potential partners who may incorporate car sharing into their new developments.

Battistella Developments has been actively involved with CATCO’s operations for nearly three years. Having a common property vehicle was part of the company’s environmental initiative, says Glenn Diebert, sales and marketing manager for Battistella. Though after looking into the logistics of a car share program, the condominium developer concluded it was a project best suited for a group that knew the ins and outs of running a car share program. Battistella approached CATCO with an offer to buy a vehicle provided CATCO manage it. “It was nice to have somebody in Calgary who was already aware how to deal with it,” says Diebert. As an added enticement, residents of Battistella’s condos can save $25,000 to $35,000 by opting out of a parking stall when purchasing a unit. The company is planning to donate another vehicle to CATCO for its next condominium and cover the cost of buying a CATCO membership fee.

CATCO members pay a one-time membership fee of $25, a refundable damage deposit of $500, and an annual maintenance fee of $48. Rental rates range from $4 to $5 an hour, plus $0.21 to $0.30 per kilometre. Thus, how much one pays largely depends on how much one drives. “We’ve found that some members have reduced the number of vehicle trips by half or more, so there’s the environmental angle,” says Torgerson. “There’s also the social angle to it, where it’s just more affordable and easier to budget because you’re paying practically nothing for having access to the vehicle.” Compared to owning and maintaining a new vehicle, which Torgerson says can cost $8,000 to $9,000 annually, one’s transportation expenses could be significantly reduced. He says most members who are actively using CATCO vehicles would be hard-pressed to spend more than $100 in a month.

While some may be inclined to believe car sharing is an option feasible only for singles or couples, families can adapt to the lifestyle if so inclined. Nine years ago, the Schnee family joined CATCO, becoming some of its first and most active members. With two school-aged children in tow, David and Cindy Schnee admit that planning well in advance is key to successfully using a car share program. “In some ways it’s convenient because we can say, ‘We don’t have a car booked’ or ‘there’s no car available so we can’t drive,’” says David. “It’s actually less of a battle in some ways.” The Schnees have the added convenience of living in Sunnyside with one of CATCO’s cars parked in front of their house and two others within two kilometres.

Still, the family uses the car sparingly for recreational activities and a weekly trip to the grocery store. By their own calculations, David and Cindy say they spend $150 to $250 a month on the car share. “In a way, the car co-op kind of reinforces that,” says David. “For us we have to be conscious about how long we’re going to book it for, because we know that each hour and how far we drive is going to cost more.”