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The Car Co-op
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Car Sharing?It is a new way to own a car. People wishing to save money on their transportation costs join a co-op to jointly own vehicles with others. Members pay a small monthly administration fee to cover some of the fixed costs of the car and when they use a car, they pay low fees for it by the hour and by the kilometre. What are the Benefits of Car Sharing? For the Member
For the Environment
For the Community
How does The Car Co-op operate as an organization?The Car Co-op is a not-for-profit co-operative incorporated to foster car sharing as an environmentally responsible transportation option. The Car Co-op enhances the social and economic well-being of its community while creating incentives for people to walk, cycle and take transit or taxi cabs more often. The Car Co-op is an environmental organization first and foremost. The owners of the service are the members. Members control, through an open and democratic forum, the scope and direction of the co-op. How does the Insurance Work?The Car Co-op purchases insurance from the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) under a fleet plan option so the co-op, not the driver, holds the insurance. We carry Third Party Legal Liability to $5,000,000 plus Collision and Comprehensive Coverage. Plus, we have Directors' Liability Insurance and Corporate Liability Insurance (members are well and truly covered!). All of our members are responsible for the first $500 of costs in situations where a member causes damage to their booked vehicle, is deemed at-fault by ICBC, or no fault is assigned (e.g. hit and run or vandalism). The Car Co-op has a lien on the share purchase to capture this amount for paying the first $500. If fault is assigned to another driver, you don't pay. What does it cost to join?Initially a one-time share purchase in the co-op of $500 (a refundable deposit). THEN... a $20 non-refundable Registration Fee is collected to pay for a lockbox key and a credit check. Joining means going through the On-line Orientation, signing the Car Co-op Membership Agreement, and purchasing shares in the co-operative. This lifetime membership has a one-time cost of $500. If you ever leave the co-op you will get 100% of your share purchase back (unless you cause an accident or fail to pay your invoice!). However, to foster a stable membership base, you must be prepared to join for at least 6 months. In keeping with our not-for-profit status, we will not issue dividends on the share, nor will the share accrue interest. What does it cost to use a Co-op car?The Car Co-op charges per booking:
And if you don't use a Co-op car in a month, you pay nothing! Our Zero-on-Zero price point gives you the flexibility you need without a concern about cost. Taking a longer trip? The same Member Plan rates apply. If you're curious how much a long trip will cost, check out our Trip Cost Calculator — and don't forget that Car Co-op members also receive discounted rates at select rental agencies. RATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. To comply with our insurance requirements, all accounts will also be charged a $1 annual membership fee on October 1st each year. Do these charges include gas prices, even when they're unstable?Generally, yes! However, in 2003 our Board of Directors authorized a Fuel Fluctuation Adjustment to compensate for highly variable gas prices. Each month we add a small charge per kilometre you drive — just enough to cover that month's gas cost above $1.10 per litre. Keep in mind - all insurance, fuel, cleaning, maintenance, BCAA Membership, plus permanent & permit parking are included in our prices. How much money ($$$$!!) can I save by joining?LOTS - BUT IT DEPENDS ON YOU! Remember that the monthly fee and the prices for usage include almost everything: insurance, gas, cleaning, maintenance, and BCAA membership! Your savings really hinges on your usage. The typical cost of a vehicle driven in the Lower Mainland is 56.4¢ per kilometre (based on 2000 statistics from CAA) or about $8000 per year. Or one can consider that a car will cost about $200 per month to finance and/or purchase, $100+ per month to insure, $100 for gas, plus an average of $100 to maintain. That's $500 per month without including depreciation, parking, and those little (or HUGE) $$$ surprises! Most of our members pay an average of $117 per month for all the car they ever need! Can my family/partner drive too?Yes - but not without first becoming a member of The Car Co-op. There is an Associate Share purchase specifically designed to allow one other person in your household to join - usually a partner. This share costs only an additional $250 and carries the same rights and responsibilities as a Full Member Share. Associate Members must satisfy all the same membership conditions as Full Members, and must also choose a price plan. What kinds of cars do you have?People have different car needs at different times. The Car Co-op has vehicles ranging from hatchbacks - including Volkswagen New Beetles - up through sedans, minivans, and even pickup trucks. For the same price, you can always choose the vehicle that's right for your trip. All of our vehicles have automatic transmissions. How do I arrange to use the cars?The Car Co-op office is available to handle your bookings, or you can go on-line to our very own web-based reservation system to book the car whenever you wish. Regular maintenance, repairs and membership generation are exclusively handled by Co-op staff. When you realize you need the car, you call 604-685-1393 or go on-line and request to use it giving specific information about day, times, and location. The car will be booked for you. Then you go to the car when your booking time starts and drive away! Do I have to go to the office to pick up/drop off a key each time I use the car?No. You will be given a lock box key when you join. This key accesses a box which holds the key to the car. The lock boxes are built into the cars and the same key is used for every car's lock box. Can I only reach the office during regular business hours?The Car Co-op's regular business hours are from 8:30am to 8:00pm Monday to Friday, and from 8:30am to 5:30pm weekends and holidays. We anticipate that the needs of most of our members can be met during these times. However, we recognize that emergencies arise so The Car Co-op has engaged a late night on-call service to handle bookings and minor incidents. Regular staff do carry a cellular phone to handle after-hours calls of a more urgent nature. This means staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take reservations or respond to concerns of members. If you are not yet a member, please limit your enquiries to our office hours.
Sign-in orientations How long in advance do I have to arrange to book the car?You can book the car as far in advance as you like - or even immediately if you choose. The more notice you give the more likely you'll get the car closest to you! Will the car be available every time I want it?In a perfect world - yes. But the facts are there really is no way for us to guarantee the car will be available every time you wish to use it - especially if you need the nearest car to your home right away. We make thousands of bookings every month and log about 8% as many requests where the cars are not available. These are typically last minute bookings where only the nearest cars will do.... If given at least 2 days notice, The Car Co-op will typically have a car available. As the service grows, more cars become available and fewer failures happen. Are the cars harder to get on weekends?Yes - it is best to book ahead for weekends during the 'high season' (May to November), but if you're fairly flexible something will be available. Again with summer weather we notice more requests for cars. The key to getting a Co-op car when you want one is PLANNING! With a couple of days' notice we have more cars available to meet your needs. How long am I allowed to have the car? And how often can I have it?You can have the car whenever you need it - remember - you own it. There are no limitations on the length of time you can use the car. The minimum time is one hour and we've had people take the car for as long as thirty-seven days. Members can book cars as far in advance as they wish! We do allow members to preemptively book a vehicle on weekdays. This means allowing you to book the car you want at the same time and same day each week for work or school. For weekend bookings of this nature, we require written proof of the event (work/school), you are limited to bookings no more than 9 hours long, and you must alternate among your four closest cars. So you will have a confirmed booking for the work or school event - but to keep the system fair for everyone you'll just not use the same car every weekend. What is important to note is that The Car Co-op is not typically a long-term usage option. We recognize our costs may occasionally be more attractive than a rental company - even with their unlimited kilometres. Co-op cars are cheaper per day and have no additional gas or insurance costs - you can consider this a benefit of your commitment to the co-op. However, if you're driving a large number of kilometres it may be more cost-effective to rent a car. Car Co-op members get a special rate at a rental agency we deal with. What if I'm running late and can't get the car back on time?The charge for returning a vehicle late is $25. If you don't think you'll have the car back and ready for the next driver by the end of your booking, call us to see if we can extend it, or try extending it on the Bookit site. However, if someone has a booking right after you, you'll need to bring it back on time as best as possible. Why do I need to fob out when I'm finished with the car?Fobbing out secures the vehicle by disabling its engine. This is a great security feature to the OnBoard system as it decreases the chance of the car being stolen or taken by the wrong driver. The charge for leaving the vehicle unsecured by not fobbing out is $35. Can I use it for work-related tasks?Co-op cars are insured for you to use the car for any task. Some members use the car mainly for work. They really like the service as they can claim the Car Co-op invoices as a business expense! Home office consultants find this service the perfect solution to save overhead costs. For people who live in Vancouver only part of the year and work elsewhere, there are great tax benefits for not solely owning a car in Canada as well. Would I be responsible for any maintenance?This depends on what happens with the car. If you've made a mess - you'll have to clean it. The interiors are cleaned monthly by the staff and washed outside as the need arises. Members are responsible for buying gas, vacuuming, and cleaning the cars whenever the need arises. The cost of gas and cleaning will be reimbursed by The Car Co-op. As for mechanical maintenance - NO! Car Co-op staff have a schedule for having the cars' oil changed, fluids topped up, brakes inspected and the usual inspections to be sure the cars are in good working order. You may feel the need to ask a gas station attendant to check the oil now and again or refill the washer fluid. You might even get them to change a bulb if you notice a headlight or signal light burnt out - but pretty much YOU CAN KISS YOUR MECHANIC GOOD-BYE! Do I have to fill the gas tank after every use?Probably not. Members are responsible for ensuring the tank is at least one-quarter full by the end of your booking. If the gas level gets close to one quarter, just fill the tank and submit the receipt to The Car Co-op to have the expense deducted from your monthly bill. How do we keep track of damage? Does The Car Co-op inspect the car after every use?The members cross-check each other. A visual inspection is required before and after each use. If you see any new scratches, just let us know. We hope our members are careful - but truly - they're just cars. Our most important resource is the person driving it! Can Baby Seats be used in the cars? What about Bike Racks? Roof Racks?Child seat bolts are installed in all our cars. Most cars also have air bags so all children under 12 must be in the back seat. The Car Co-op has installed bike racks and roof racks on some cars – privately-owned racks used on Co-op cars are not covered by our insurance. Be sure to book a car with the rack you need. Will I meet my Car Mates?Yes, The Car Co-op may host members' meetings and there is an AGM every year. At this time you'll all get to know each other and can even arrange to take trips together. Members can ride share to split the costs anywhere. What if I get a ticket or get towed?Car sharing is about sharing the costs and access to a vehicle. It is not about sharing responsibility or liability for damages and infraction costs. If you get a speeding, parking or other car-related ticket, you'll have to pay for it. If the car is towed or impounded while it is out in your name, you will have to pay for the cost incurred. What do I have to do to join?First of all, check whether your membership is a good fit with The Car Co-op's criteria. These are:
Your next step will be to complete the On-line Orientation to familiarise yourself with Car Co-op policies and vehicle usage. Next you will need to acquire your Driving Record and Claims History from ICBC - even if you don't think you have one. They're free. You can get them by calling 604-661-2255, extension 5 (or 1-888-715-7775 extension 5 if you're outside the Lower Mainland). Please have ICBC e-mail the documents directly to the Co-op office at . If you have had a driver's licence from outside BC within the past five years, you may need to submit additional documents from your old driver's licence within one month of joining The Car Co-op. Links to other provincial licensing authorities can be found here. Once you have done the above, phone the Car Co-op office (604-685-1393) to confirm that everything has been received and is in order. You can them come to the office to complete the remaining paperwork. How long would it take to process membership?The whole process when we meet will take about half an hour. You can start using the car as soon as we have bank confirmation that your cheque for the share purchase has cleared (or right away if you pay by cash, credit card or direct debit). What if Car Sharing doesn't work for me? Do I get my share money back?Truly, car sharing isn't for everyone. It takes trust, a certain level of flexibility and a real commitment to using alternative means to get around. Of course, it also requires that car sharing remain economical for your budget. If you find for whatever reason that you would like to leave the co-op you merely let us know (in writing) and we'll get your share back to you. This will require that you are completely paid up for your usage and your share purchase is free of liens. We planned for a bit of time to be sure that no tickets or encumbrances are on the vehicle due to your usage as well. This means the money will be returned 90 days after you have given us back your key. Are there other Car Sharing organizations?It is estimated that there are over 100,000 car sharers in Europe. The Car Co-op is the first English speaking car co-op in the world! In Canada, there are several other car sharing co-ops / companies. The first in North America is the one set up in Québec City, called CommunAuto. This same group also operates in Montréal and Sherbrooke. Autoshare is in Toronto and there is a co-op in Victoria called the Victoria Car Share Co-op (250-995-0265). We have a cross-use agreement with Victoria! For more information on car sharing around the world, please visit the Car Sharing Network home page. If you have any other questions - or find any of the answers above to be confusing - please call us at 604-685-1393! |
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