DOCSLIB.ORG

San Diego Station Car Pilot Program Partner Agencies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
San Diego Station Car Pilot Program Partner Agencies San Diego Station Car Pilot Program Partner Agencies: CCDC Coalition for Sorrento Valley Congestion Relief BOMA Golden Triangle Chamber of Commerce City of San Diego San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce A Report compiled by: Thomas Bruccoleri Senior Transportation Planner Chris Burke Planner I Maria Filippelli Planning Technician Jeremie Brown Marketing Analyst I Table of Contents Executive Summary .....................................................................................................................1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................2 Market Study ...............................................................................................................................7 Operations Plan .........................................................................................................................12 Lessons Learned .........................................................................................................................16 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................19 Appendices - please note appendices are available online at www.ridelink.org Appendix A – Mobility Pass Program Demonstration Appendix B – Flexcar Marketing Plan for San Diego Appendix C – Pricing of the Mobility Passes Appendix D – Regional Carshare Working Group Charter and Meeting Notes Appendix E – RFP and SOW for Carshare Demonstration Program Appendix F – SANDAG’s Marketing Efforts Appendix G – Assembly Bill 2154: On-Street Parking Appendix H – Proposed On-Street Parking Locations Appendix I – Estimate of On-Street Parking Benefits and Costs Appendix J – Meeting Notes: Transportation Committee and MTDB Executive Committee (not referenced in report) San Diego Station Car Pilot Program Study Executive Summary Carsharing is a service where participants, either in a cooperative, public, or private organization, have access to a fleet of vehicles that can be reserved for business or personal use for a predetermined period of time. Carsharing has shown benefits in markets throughout the United States and Europe in lowering people’s dependence on cars, increasing the use of regional transit systems, and improving the standard of living for members. In 2002, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) submitted for and received grant funds to develop a station car program, a form of carsharing specific to transit centers, in the San Diego region. In accordance with the grant funding, SANDAG conducted a Station Car Pilot Program Study that consisted of two parts; the first was a marketing study and operations plan, the second was implementation of the carsharing demonstration program. The San Diego Station Car Pilot Program Study served as a two-year demonstration to measure the market demand for carsharing, specifically station car services, and to outline the implementation plan necessary for carsharing operations in San Diego. To attain the highest utilization of the carsharing program, SANDAG promoted the program by bundling carsharing into San Diego’s regional Transportation Demand Management (TDM) offering. SANDAG used the San Diego Metropolitan Board’s Employee Commuting Opportunities Pass (ECO Pass) Program, which sold bulk transit passes to San Diego employers, as a model for a similar product that incorporated carsharing. SANDAG branded the new program the “Mobility Pass.” The Mobility Pass was marketed to employers, residential developers, and homeowners associations. Although the station car program did not achieve the level of participation originally envisioned, other opportunities for carsharing and transit alternatives were identified. San Diego State University (SDSU), through an independent effort, evaluated the SANDAG pilot program’s impact and discovered participants found great value using a shared vehicle in the connection from transit to work, and began to utilize transit more in their daily lives. To take advantage of these findings, SANDAG plans to evaluate additional options for connecting commuters from transit to work, as well as program to address their needs during the workday, of which carsharing will be part of the solution. By November 2007, there were approximately 75 carsharing vehicles and 2,100 carsharing members in the San Diego region due in part to these grants funds and the cooperation between SANDAG and its member agencies. Carsharing presents tremendous opportunities by providing access to an additional mobility source in coordination with transit, alleviating traffic congestion to dense areas such as Downtown San Diego. It provides a solution to common concerns of transit users such as flexibility to get to work, home, and other destinations. To take advantage of this resource, SANDAG will investigate bundling carsharing into the new Compass Card Program and TDM Strategy. 1 Introduction What is Carsharing? A concept that originated with great success in Europe in the late 1980’s, Carsharing is a service where participants, either in a cooperative, public, or private organization, have access to a fleet of vehicles that can be reserved for business or personal use, for a predetermined period of time. Carsharing organizations have many benefits for its members, such as providing access to a fleet of vehicles at a fraction of the cost of in- dividual car ownership. It also provides daytime use of a vehicle if someone takes tran- sit or an alternative means of transportation to work. By sharing vehicles, participants help to alleviate parking congestion in high-density areas where parking is limited, as well as provide increased transit use and environmental benefits. Carsharing is utilized by individuals as an alternative to car ownership and by busi- nesses looking for a convenient way to maintain fleet vehicles. Vehicles can be checked out for increments ranging from half an hour to multiple days and then returned to their designated location upon completion of the trip to await the next user. Gas, insurance, vehicle maintenance, and roadside assistance are typically included in the fee structure. In order to generate the highest utilization, carsharing vehicles are strategically locat- ed throughout the region in urban cores and mixed-use areas that include businesses, transit stations, and residential areas. As reported by Flexcar, each carsharing vehicle takes approximately 15 personal vehicles off the road. = One Carsharing Vehicle Takes fifteen personal cars off the road Background on Carsharing Grant Funding The SANDAG Station Car Pilot Program represented a new direction in publicly sup- ported but privately operated mobility services and offered a great opportunity to expand the scope and desirability of the San Diego region’s public transportation system. In fiscal year 2002, SANDAG applied for grant funds to introduce carsharing as a complement to its regional transit network and land use goals. In the submission, SANDAG proposed to conduct this project in two phases. Phase I was intended to develop a baseline marketing study to measure the demand for carsharing services among residents and employers. If the results from the marketing study showed that 2 Carshare carsharing was potentially viable in the San Diego region, Phase II would then include Users: development of an operations plan. between SANDAG proposed to augment the original grant with a second grant submittal. The the age of focus was to conduct a pilot integrating carsharing into the SANDAG TDM program 25 and 55 by adding carsharing near two multimodal stations, the Old Town Transit Center and (79 percent) the Santa Fe Depot, as well as several San Diego Trolley light rail transit (LRT) stations. SANDAG was awarded the second grant and the first Phase I Marketing study was ex- panded to measure the demand of residents, commuters, and employers. The results (Flexcar San Diego would be adapted into the operations plan and integrated into the San Diego Station Membership Car Pilot Program. Survey – 2006) To further augment the SANDAG study, San Diego State University (SDSU) was con- tacted to administer an in-depth evaluation of the program. Research from SDSU’s Mobility Pass Study (Appendix A) showed that the effectiveness of carsharing fre- quently depends upon the transit options available and how passengers can travel from home to work and other desired destinations. When transit is used, trips have historically become time consuming and inconvenient. Passengers complain mostly about waiting at collection and delivery points, but do not seem to mind the time spent during the transit trips. The use of individual, privately owned automobiles at either end of the transit trip is not appealing from an environmental standpoint and not desirable in terms of parking costs and land consumption. The carsharing pro- gram focused on addressing these critical concerns in the San Diego region. Why San Diego? The San Diego region is dominated by commuters in single-occupancy vehicles (SOVs), with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting in 2005 that 78 percent of San Diego com- muters drive to work alone. Highways are running out of capacity, emissions levels and commute times continue to rise, and yet transit ridership remains low at 3.4 percent of workers us- TAXI Car-Rental ing public transportation for their commute (Census Bureau, 2005). There are various barriers
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 3405 Carshare Report
    Arlington Pilot Carshare Program FIRST-YEAR REPORT Arlington County Commuter Services (ACCS) Division of Transportation Department of Environmental Services April 15, 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . 1 INTRODUCTION . 3 What is Carsharing? . .3 Arlington: A Perfect Fit for Carsharing . 3 Two Carsharing Companies Operating in Arlington . 4 Arlington County Commuter Services (ACCS) . 4 ARLINGTON PILOT CARSHARING PROGRAM . 5 Public Private Partnership . .5 Program Goals . 5 Program Elements . 5 METHOD OF EVALUATION . 9 EVALUATION OF CARSHARE PILOT PROGRAM . 10 The Carshare Program Increased Availability, Membership and Use . 10 Arlington Carshare Members Trip Frequency and Purpose . 10 Arlington Carshare Members Rate Service Excellent . 11 Carsharing Members Feel Safer with Carshare Vehicles Parked On-Street . 11 Arlington Members More Confident Knowing Arlington is Carshare Partner . 12 Arlington Carsharing Members Reduce Vehicle-Miles Traveled (VMT) . 12 The Pilot Carsharing Program Encourages Transit-Oriented-Living . 13 Carsharing Provides Affordable Alternative to Car Ownership . 14 Arlington Carshare Members Reduce Car Ownership . 15 The Pilot Carshare Program Makes Efficient Use of Parking . 16 CONCLUSIONS . 17 EXTENDING AND EXPANDING SUCCESS . 18 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ARSHARING IS A SELF-SERVICE, SHORT-TERM CAR-RENTAL SERVICE that is growing in Europe and North America and has been available in the Cmetropolitan Washington region since 2001. Carsharing complements Arlington’s urban-village neighborhoods by providing car service on demand without the cost and hassles associated with car ownership. In March 2004, the Arlington County Commuter Services (ACCS) unit of the Department of Environmental Services partnered with the two carshare companies—Flexcar and Zipcar—to provide expanded carshare services and promotions called the Arlington Pilot Carshare Program.
    [Show full text]
  • Evolution of E-Mobility in Carsharing Business Models
    Evolution of E-Mobility in Carsharing Business Models Susan A. Shaheen1 and Nelson D. Chan2 Transportation Sustainability Research Center, University of California, Berkeley, [email protected], [email protected] Abstract Carsharing continues to grow worldwide as a powerful strategy to provide an alternative to solo driving. The viability of electric vehicles, or EVs, has been examined in various carsharing business models. Moreover, new technologies have given rise to electromobility, or e-mobility, systems. This paper discusses the evolution of e-mobility in carsharing business models and the challenges and opportunities that EVs present to carsharing operators around the world. Operators are now anticipating increased EV proliferation into vehicle fleets over the next 5- 10 years as technology, infrastructure, and public policy shift toward support of e- mobility systems. Thus, research is still needed to quantify impacts of EVs in changing travel behavior toward more sustainable transport. 1 Introduction Carsharing enables a group of members to share a vehicle fleet that is maintained, managed, and insured by a third-party organization. Primarily used for short-term trips, carsharing can provide affordable, self-service vehicle access 24-h per day for those who do not have a car, want to reduce the number of vehicles in their household, or do not use their vehicle during the day for long periods of time. Rates include fuel, insurance, and maintenance. Ideally, carsharing works best in a neighborhood, business, or campus setting where users could walk, bike, share rides, or take public transit to access the shared-use vehicles. Carsharing has evolved through several phases since the first carsharing system began in Europe in 1948.
    [Show full text]
  • 20-03 Residential Carshare Study for the New York Metropolitan Area
    Residential Carshare Study for the New York Metropolitan Area Final Report | Report Number 20-03 | February 2020 NYSERDA’s Promise to New Yorkers: NYSERDA provides resources, expertise, and objective information so New Yorkers can make confident, informed energy decisions. Mission Statement: Advance innovative energy solutions in ways that improve New York’s economy and environment. Vision Statement: Serve as a catalyst – advancing energy innovation, technology, and investment; transforming New York’s economy; and empowering people to choose clean and efficient energy as part of their everyday lives. Residential Carshare Study for the New York Metropolitan Area Final Report Prepared for: New York State Energy Research and Development Authority New York, NY Robyn Marquis, PhD Project Manager, Clean Transportation Prepared by: WXY Architecture + Urban Design New York, NY Adam Lubinsky, PhD, AICP Managing Principal Amina Hassen Associate Raphael Laude Urban Planner with Barretto Bay Strategies New York, NY Paul Lipson Principal Luis Torres Senior Consultant and Empire Clean Cities NYSERDA Report 20-03 NYSERDA Contract 114627 February 2020 Notice This report was prepared by WXY Architecture + Urban Design, Barretto Bay Strategies, and Empire Clean Cities in the course of performing work contracted for and sponsored by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (hereafter the "Sponsors"). The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect those of the Sponsors or the State of New York, and reference to any specific product, service, process, or method does not constitute an implied or expressed recommendation or endorsement of it. Further, the Sponsors, the State of New York, and the contractor make no warranties or representations, expressed or implied, as to the fitness for particular purpose or merchantability of any product, apparatus, or service, or the usefulness, completeness, or accuracy of any processes, methods, or other information contained, described, disclosed, or referred to in this report.
    [Show full text]
  • User Perspectives on Location Efficient Mortgages & Car Sharing
    2005-24 Final Report User Perspectives on Location Efficient Mortgages & Car Sharing Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. 3. Recipients Accession No. MN/RC – 2005-24 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date User Perspectives on Location Efficient Mortgages & Car Sharing June 2005 6. 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report No. Kevin Krizek 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Project/Task/Work Unit No. Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs University of Minnesota 11. Contract (C) or Grant (G) No. 301 19th Avenue South (c) 81655 (wo) 50 Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455 12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period Covered Minnesota Department of Transportation Final Report Research Services Section 395 John Ireland Boulevard Mail Stop 330 14. Sponsoring Agency Code St. Paul, Minnesota 55155 15. Supplementary Notes http://www.lrrb.org/PDF/200524.pdf 16. Abstract (Limit: 200 words) A burgeoning population seeking relatively affordable housing is placing high demands on outlying, auto-dependent residential markets. Simultaneously, public policies addressing housing, transportation, and land use aim to increase homeownership, decrease drive-alone travel, and harness outlying development. A relatively new mortgage lending procedure aims to address each of these public policy aims synergistically by allowing low- and moderate-income households the opportunity to purchase homes in transit-accessible neighborhoods that would otherwise be unobtainable because of cost. The goal of this research is to evaluate this initiative, as well as position it within the broader goals of smart growth, describe its application, and comment on its prospects. This report constitutes a primer of the current state of knowledge about these unique loan programs.
    [Show full text]
  • Acquiring Zipcar: Brand Building in the Share Economy
    Boston University School of Management BU Case Study 12-010 Rev. December 12, 2012 Acquiring Zipcar Brand Building in the Share Economy By Susan Fournier, Giana Eckhardt and Fleura Bardhi Scott Griffith, CEO of Zipcar, languished over his stock charts. They had something here, everyone agreed about that. Zipcar had shaken up the car rental industry with a “new model” for people who wanted steady access to cars without the hassle of owning them. Sales had been phenomenal. Since its beginning in 2000, Zipcar had experienced 100%+ growth annually, with annual revenue in the previous year of $241.6 million. Zipcar now boasted more than 750,000 members and over 8,900 cars in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and the U.K. and claimed nearly half of all global car-sharing members. The company had continued international expansion by purchasing the largest car sharing company in Spain. The buzz had been wonderful. Still, Zipcar’s stock price was being beaten down, falling from a high of $31.50 to a current trade at $8 and change (See Exhibit 1). The company had failed to turn an annual profit since its founding in 2000 and held but two months’ of operating cash on hand as of September 2012. Critics wondered about the sustainability of the business model in the face of increased competition. There was no doubt: the “big guys” were circling. Enterprise Rent-a-Car Co. had entered car sharing with a model of its own (See Exhibit 2). The Enterprise network, which included almost 1 million vehicles and more than 5,500 offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Nancy Schneider
    'If you live in a city, you don't need to own a car.' William Clay Ford Jr., CEO, Ford Motor Company Ltd. Car Facts: zThe American Automobile Association (AAA) says that, on average, it costs 52.2 cents to drive one mile. zHousehold income spent on cars: 20% (1990 - 13.2%) or zOver $8,000 per household per year (39% of income for lower income households) 1 More Car Facts: zThe average N.A. car is driven just 66 minutes a day z$8,000 to drive about 400 hours a year {Or $666 to drive about 30 hours a month {Or $22 to drive an hour a day ÅOur Ranking The areas with the lowest expenses are those that have the highest public transit use, probably because those areas have lower car ownership. Even a modest reduction in the average number of motor vehicles per household translates into a significant drop in average household car expenses. 2 Car Sharing/ Car-Sharing/Carsharing What is it? History… Car Sharing, launched in 1987 in Switzerland and later in 1988 in Germany, came to North America via Quebec City in 1993 and to Portland, OR in 1998. 3 Car Sharing: What it isn’t... zCar pooling zRide sharing zFlex fuel vehicles In the news… 4 At U of F: Zipcar speeds toward expansion; car-sharing seeks inside track San Francisco Business Times - July 14, 2006 by Eric Young Fueled by an injection of cash, a car-sharing service said expansion plans in the San Francisco Bay Area are moving full speed ahead.
    [Show full text]
  • Build a Carsharing Community 2
    Final Technical Report TNW2003-06 TransNow Budget No. 62-2513 Flexcar Program Evaluation Flexcar Seattle Carsharing Program Evaluation by G. Scott Rutherford Robert Vance Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering University of Washington Seattle, Washington 98195 Report prepared for: Transportation Northwest (TransNow) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering 129 More Hall University of Washington, Box 352700 Seattle, WA 98195-2700 December 2003 TECHNICAL REPORT STANDARD TITLE PAGE 1. REPORT NO. 2. GOVERNMENT ACCESSION NO. 3. RECIPIENT’S CATALOG NO. TNW2003-06 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5.REPORT DATE FLEXCAR SEATTLE CARSHARING PROGRAM December 2003 6. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION CODE 7. AUTHOR(S) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NO. G. Scott Rutherford, Robert Vance TNW2003-06 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS 10. WORK UNIT NO. Transportation Northwest Regional Center X (TransNow) Box 352700, 123 More Hall University of Washington 11. CONTRACT OR GRANT NO. Seattle, WA 98195-2700 DTRS99-G-0010 12. SPONSORING AGENCY NAME AND ADDRESS 13. TYPE OF REPORT AND PERIOD COVERED United States Department of Transportation Final Report Office of the Secretary of Transportation 400 Seventh St. SW 14. SPONSORING AGENCY CODE Washington, DC 20590 15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES This study was conducted in cooperation with the University of Washington. 16. ABSTRACT Flexcar is a public-private partnership based in Seattle that provides short-term automobile rentals, called “carsharing.” The program began in 2000 with an agreement between King
    [Show full text]
  • Carsharing's Impact and Future
    Carsharing's Impact and Future Advances in Transport Policy and Planning Volume 4, 2019, Pages 87-120 October 23, 2019 https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.atpp.2019.09.002 Susan Shaheen, PhD Adam Cohen Emily Farrar 1 Carsharing's Impact and Future Authors: Susan Shaheen, PhDa [email protected] Adam Cohenb [email protected] Emily Farrarb [email protected] Affiliations: aCivil and Environmental Engineering and Transportation Sustainability Research Center University of California, Berkeley 408 McLaughlin Hall Berkeley, CA 94704 bTransportation Sustainability Research Center University of California, Berkeley 2150 Allston Way #280 Berkeley, CA 94704 Corresponding Author: Susan Shaheen, PhD [email protected] 2 Carsharing’s Impact and Future ABSTRACT Carsharing provides members access to a fleet of autos for short-term use throughout the day, reducing the need for one or more personal vehicles. This chapter reviews key terms and definitions for carsharing, common carsharing business models, and existing impact studies. Next, the chapter discusses the commodification and aggregation of mobility services and the role of Mobility on Demand (MOD) and Mobility as a Service (MaaS) on carsharing. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of how the convergence of electrification and automation is changing carsharing, leading to shared automated and electric vehicle (SAEV) fleets. Keywords: Carsharing, Shared mobility, Mobility on Demand (MOD), Mobility as a Service (MaaS), Shared automated electric vehicles (SAEVs) 1 INTRODUCTION Across the globe, innovative and emerging mobility services are offering residents, businesses, travelers, and other users more options for on-demand mobility. In recent years, carsharing has grown rapidly due to changing perspectives toward transportation, car ownership, business and institutional fleet ownership, and urban lifestyles.
    [Show full text]
  • RECONNECTING FORT WAYNE: Transportation Transportation Management Associations
    RECONNECTING FORT WAYNE: Transportation Transportation Management Associations Prepared for City of Fort Wayne, Indiana By Janice Metzger & Stephen Perkins, Ph.D. Center for Neighborhood Technology December 2007 Reconnecting Fort Wayne: Transportation Transportation Management Associations Reconnecting Fort Wayne: Transportation is a six part report designed to promote sustainable transportation planning in Fort Wayne. The first five reports, published in December of 2007, are innovative approaches or tools for analyzing current conditions and offering more transportation choice and lower household transportation cost. These reports include: Car Sharing Housing + Transportation Streetcars Transportation Management Associations UPASS: Unlimited Transit Pass A sixth report, on transportation funding in Fort Wayne, will be produced in early 2008 to complete the series. Acknowledgements The Center for Neighborhood Technology would like to thank Mayor Graham Richard for his vision in initiating a multi-faceted review of opportunities for Fort Wayne to become a more sustainable city. We also thank Wendy Barrott for her energetic and thoughtful oversight of this and many other facets of the Reconnecting Fort Wayne consultation. Staff from several city, county and private entities offered valuable feedback on the potential receptivity of employers to the idea of a Transportation Management Association in Fort Wayne. We are especially grateful to Dan Carmody, former Executive Director of the Fort Wayne Downtown Improvement District, Chloretha Davie,
    [Show full text]
  • Survey of Transport Efficiency Policies and Programs in APEC Economies
    Survey 2.0 of Policies and Programs that Promote Fuel-Efficient Transport in APEC Economies The Alliance to Save Energy May 2008 Updated September 2009 EWG 03/2007A Prepared by: Judith Barry and Angela Morin Allen, Lead Authors Update by Laura van Wie McGrory, Diana Lin, and Sally Larsen Alliance to Save Energy 1850 M Street NW, Suite 600 Washington DC 20036 USA For: APEC Secretariat 35 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119616 Tel: (65) 68919 600 Fax: (65) 68919 690 Email: [email protected] Website: www.apec.org © 2008 APEC Secretariat APEC#208-RE-01.10 i TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................................................................iii Abbreviations and Units .................................................................................................................................... iv Case Studies .......................................................................................................................................................... v List of Figures and Tables ................................................................................................................................... v Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 1 Increasing Fuel Economy of New Vehicles ............................................................................................. 1 Encouraging Purchase of Fuel-Efficient
    [Show full text]
  • Roundtrip Carsharing in New York City: an Evaluation of a Pilot Program and System Impacts By
    ROUNDTRIP CARSHARING IN NEW YORK CITY AN EVALUATION OF A PILOT PROGRAM AND SYSTEM IMPACTS ELLIOT MARTIN, PHD ADAM STOCKER AQSHEMS NICHOLS SUSAN SHAHEEN, PHD UC BERKELEY TRANSPORTATION SUSTAINABILITY RESEARCH CENTER FINAL REPORT FEBRUARY 2021 1 doi:10.7922/G2R49P23 Acknowledgments A number of people contributed to this research over the course of the study. The authors thank Ann McGrane of NYC DOT and David Ganz of BCW for their continued engagement and guidance throughout the study. The authors are also grateful for the support of William Carry and Michelle Kaucic of NYC DOT. A number of staff members within UC Berkeley TSRC also contributed to the development and implementation of the study, including Rachel Finson, Hannah Totte, Michael Dysart, as well as other student and staff members who pretested the surveys. Finally, the authors are thankful for the collaboration with the carsharing operators, most prominently Zipcar and Enterprise CarShare as well as ReachNow during the early phases of the study. The study was funded by NYC DOT. The analysis and conclusions presented were produced solely by the authors and do not necessarily indicate sponsor acceptance. 2 Contents Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................................... 2 Table of Figures ............................................................................................................................................. 4 Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Are Taxes on Carsharing Too High?
    ARE TAXES ON CARSHARING TOO HIGH? A REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC BENEFITS AND TAX BURDEN OF AN EXPANDING TRANSPORTATION SECTOR By Alice Bieszczat and Joseph Schwieterman, Ph.D.* June 28, 2011 Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development DePaul University 243 S. Wabash Avenue, Chicago Chicago, Illinois 60604 www.depaul.edu/~chaddick *Authors are listed alphabetically. Bieszczat is a research associate at the Chaddick Institute. Schwieterman, the corresponding author, is Professor in the School of Public Service and Director of the Chaddick Institute at DePaul University and can be reached at [email protected] This report was made possible by internal financial support from the Chaddick Institute, which promotes effective planning and transportation. The Chaddick Institute receives no financial support from and has no affiliation with individuals or organizations involved in carsharing. The authors gratefully acknowledge Susan Shaheen, Ph.D., for her extensive technical assistance and Lauren Fischer, Nate Frey, Paige Largent and Rebecca McAlphine for editorial support. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary 1 I. Introduction 2 II. Evolution of Carsharing in the United States 2 III. Does Carsharing Generate Public Benefits? 11 IV. Measuring Levels of Taxation 20 V. Conclusions 30 VI. Appendices 32 Demographic Profile of Carsharing Users Institutional Savings from Carsharing VII. References 36 VIII. Endnotes 40 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This study evaluates the size and impact of taxes currently being levied on carsharing services–the sharing of motor vehicles through memberships in nonprofit and for-profit enterprises. By reviewing the tax burden that this sector faces against the backdrop of evidence about the effects of carsharing services on communities, this study makes four principal conclusions: The benefits of carsharing services have been extensively documented in peer-reviewed scholarly research and provide a strong rationale for units of government to adopt policies that encourage greater public participation in such programs.
    [Show full text]