Austin Car Share
Their fleet includes the Scion XA. (512) 448-4477 :: www.austincarshare.org Austin Car Share (ACS) is another great green idea. I don't use it because I don't live in the city. My best friend and fellow event planner lives in a condo downtown and recently sold her car because she relies on this service for 90% of her transportation needs. She swears by it. She says it has saved her cold hard cash. No car payment, no insurance, no residence parking fee. Every reservation comes with; gas, maintenance, insurance, roadside assistance and reserved parking. This is a non-profit organization. They partner with Capital Metro and City of Austin among others. ACS claims the average cost per month of owning a car is $585. The cost per month for car sharing is $55. Or $6,500 saved per year for an average member versus owning a car. My friend says that's about $1,800 more than her savings projections. I'm impressed. Simplicity is what makes Care Share a no-brainer. Here's how it works. You select from two plans; Freedom Plan – For Regular Use Limited Plan – For Very Occasional Use ACS's fleet includes small environmentally friendly vehicles like the Scion XA, Toyota Tacoma, Toyota Prius. Here's what you do. Join ACS by selecting the Freedom or Limited plan. Reserve the auto you prefer by phone or online. Enter your ACS auto with a personal electronic key. Use and return the car when your trip is complete. Pay your use and membership fees monthly. That's it. I recommend ACS. Especially for students or folks who don't drive much like my friend. A great Austin car rental option. For more info about their service, locations and how to join, go to www.AustinCarShare.org. Austin, Texas' first real car sharing program is working. Austin Car Share won a 2007 Austin Chronicle Reader's Poll for Best ECO Improvement. Kudos to City of Austin, Cap Metro and Austin Car Share. Job well done. Leave AUSTIN CAR SHARE and go to AUSTIN TRAVEL. Click here to go to Austin, Texas HOME. |
