Carsharing can seem a little daunting if you haven’t tried it, right? What’s allowed and what’s not, how far can you go, and what is covered in the price? Here are 10 facts about drive-on-demand vehicles that might surprise you.
1.You don’t have to pay for parking
Parking adds up quickly when you’re driving a personal vehicle. Shared vehicles are exempt from parking meters, meaning that you can park them in a normally tolled area, and leave them for the next driver to pick up—without having to pay the parking fee.
2. You don’t have to pay for gas… or refuel
Filling the tank or recharging the car is a fact of life when you drive. Not with carsharing! The vehicles are regularly refueled or recharged and checked on by their provider companies.
3. Insurance is included in your rental
Car insurance is one of the heftier monthly expenses when you own a vehicle. When you sign up with a carsharing company and rent a shared vehicle, you‘re automatically covered with the carsharing provider’s insurance. If you do have a problem with the vehicle, be sure to contact the carsharing company right away.
4. You can park the car without ending your trip
“Free-floating” carsharing allows you to drive a car from Point A to Point B, without having to return the vehicle back to its original location. But this doesn’t mean you HAVE to drive your ride one-way! If you want to stop for food, have a quick meeting, or need a larger vehicle for shopping hauls, you can choose to keep your rental while you park the car. Then simply pick it up again when you’re ready to go!
5. Only pay for time you use—minute, hour, or day
No monthly fees, no hidden charges. With carsharing, you’re only paying for the time you’re using the vehicle.
6. You need to return the car in the provider’s home area.
When ending your carsharing trip, make sure to finish it in the home area. You’ll find the map in your app.
7. BUT you can drive it further away
For the duration of your ride, you CAN leave the home area! But many carsharing companies let you drive further with hourly and daily rates.
8. You can’t forget your keys at home
Carsharing vehicles come with a key inside, or with a START button in the car. All you need to open your booked car is your mobile phone! Then simply start the car using the key or button, and return the key into its fob before finishing your trip after you’ve parked. No pickup, in-person meeting or verification required.
9. Carsharing is most often used as a complement to personal ownership
Most carsharing users don’t necessarily use it to replace their personal or family vehicles. Users find carsharing works best for them for one-way trips—like going out to a dinner that you’ll take a cab home from, or for errands you can’t run in your own vehicle—like buying a Christmas tree!
10. Carsharing reduces city congestion
Did you know that the average personal vehicle sits unused over 90% of the time? Not with a shared vehicle! Shared vehicles are in higher circulation than privately-owned ones, therefore keeping traffic flowing and taking up less parking spaces.
11. Free2Move Carsharing has 600 vehicles you can drive in Washington DC and Free2Move Paris 500 vehicles in the French capital city.
With this many vehicles, you can rely on finding one in your area whenever you need. Free2Move gives you all the benefits of carsharing, with a large fleet of new vehicles to choose from.
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