Calgary looking for new car-sharing options following Car2Go exit
Posted Dec 20, 2019 10:43:44 AM.
Last Updated Dec 20, 2019 10:51:25 AM.
CALGARY (CityNews) – Car2Go is driving away from North America, leaving Calgary a city with no car-sharing options looking to fill the void.
Car2Go, which renamed itself ShareNow, pulled its fleet from Calgary in September, blaming the economy, competition and city regulations.
On Wednesday, the company announced it was ending service across North America in February amidst what it calls “the volatile state of the global mobility landscape and the rising infrastructure complexities facing North American transportation.”
RELATED: Car2Go to stop Vancouver, Montreal operations
The decision now leaves Calgary as the only vacant market in Canada where Car2Go was operating.
“Obviously having a competitive market is important and having Car2Go be the only one, we’ve now seen the consequences,” said Ward 8 Councillor Evan Woolley, “As we move through conversations, we want to encourage as much companies to come to the city as possible.”
With today's revelation that car2go/Share Now will be leaving North America early next year, it shows that their business model likely isn't designed for our continent.
I'm optimistic that we'll have a new car sharing option in the new year. https://t.co/x6KHboZbbR pic.twitter.com/hQ06yGQBzF
— Evan Woolley (@EWoolleyWard8) December 19, 2019
Car2Go left Toronto last year but has a number of options like ZipCar. That company told CityNews it doesn’t have plans to enter Calgary right now.
Montreal, Vancouver and Edmonton also have alternatives such as Pogo Car Share and Evo.
One rapidly growing competitor told council Wednesday, transportation is just shifting.
“They liked the shared form of transit, be it a shared car or a shared form of micro-mobility like an E-scooter because it allowed them to consider not going to a two-car family. They can keep their one car because they had other ways to move in and around their city,” said Chris Schafer with Lime Calgary.
According to a city report, about one-in-three E-scooter rides, replaced a trip in a car.
E-scooter and even ride-sharing weren’t introduced to the market when Car2Go launched in Calgary, so if car-sharing returned Woolley hopes companies can decide how many vehicles they want on the road.