Regina Car Share Co-operative now has a vehicle...

Hello,

I am writing on behalf of the Regina Car Share Co-operative (RCS) board to inform you that RCS now has a vehicle to offer car-share members. It is a 2008 Kia Rio hatchback... with heated seats! The vehicle is currently parked in an obscure location on Athol Street between 14th and 15th Avenues (2221 Athol St) in the Cathedral neighbourhood. On it is our logo. We want to be able to park this vehicle in a more conspicuous location, both to enhance awareness of RCS and to make accessing the vehicle more convenient to our members, e.g. near a bus stop, or on a main thoroughfare. We have approached the city about acquiring a free parking space in the downtown area. But are still waiting to hear back from them. The board also wanted to approach community associations in the densest parts of the city to and see if any parking spots could be found this way at the various community centres.

We also wanted to let you know that RCS is “fully operational” so that you can, in turn, inform your networks. It would be great if you could let your communities know that we have a car available for their car-sharing pleasure and post this information in and on the various newsletters/bulletin boards. For RCS to be sustainable, the car needs to be in use as much as possible.

To use the vehicle, individuals first must become a member of RCS by paying a fully refundable $500 membership fee (sort, of like a damage deposit) as well as a non-refundable $25 application fee. There is also a single household joint membership option for the cost of $750. With their application, individuals must submit a driver’s abstract (easily obtainable from SGI) as well as a photocopy of their driver’s license. Once they are a member they are free to book the vehicle whenever they want by using our online booking system accessed through our website (http://www.reginacarshare.ca/). The vehicle’s keys are placed in a nearby lockbox accessed with a key code and there is a log book within the vehicle that we ask members to fill out after each use. And, it’s as easy as that.

Now, we’re still in the process of developing an ideal pricing system that is both cost-effective, provides incentive to drive at lower-use times, and assures RCS is able to pay its bills. Currently, the cost is $0.50/kilometre and $5.00/hour, but we are working to build more complexity into the system. Considerations include charging members a mandatory pre-paid amount of $50 that acts as a monthly credit as well as weekend & midnight- 6AM rates. Remember this price includes everything, both gas and maintenance. All members have to do is drive and pay the invoices they get at the end of each month.

As RCS works out most if not all of the kinks, and finalizes both our pricing and billing systems, it would really benefit the organization if, in the interim, you could inform your respective communities of this new and exciting alternative to vehicle ownership and get back to us regarding the possibility of a parking spot. Feel free to e-mail me back on this and other matters regarding car-sharing, or contact RCS’s president, John Klein, by e-mailing info@reginacarshare.ca. I thank you for your time.

Best regards,

Jennipher Karst, RCS board member


Jennipher Karst, A.Ag, B.Sc
Stewardship Activities Coordinator
Nature Conservancy of Canada - Saskatchewan Region
Suite 100, 1777 Victoria Avenue; Regina, SK; S4P 4K5
Phone: (306) 347 0447 ext. 229
Fax: (306) 347 2345