On September 22nd, people around the world celebrate “Car-Free Day” to encourage alternative modes of transportation such as mass transit, biking, scooters and walking. Zipcar, the world’s top car-sharing company, conducted a survey that found New Yorkers who share a car instead of owning a personal one significantly benefit the environment and society by reducing the number of cars on the road, traffic congestion, competition for parking spots, and carbon emissions in the city. The study also revealed that almost 30% of Zipcar members in New York City no longer own a personal car after joining the service, which eliminates over 37,000 cars from the city’s streets.
“As the cost of car ownership rises and parking becomes increasingly competitive in neighborhoods, New Yorkers are looking to car sharing as a cost-effective and convenient way to drive a car when they need one,” said Angelo Adams, head of Zipcar. “A little-known byproduct of car sharing is that it eliminates personally owned vehicles from city streets, which reduces congestion, carbon emissions and competition for parking on the curb. Who wants the hassle of car payments and to circle the block in the Bronx or Queens? No one!”
The Impact of Car Sharing on New York City
Zipcar was established in 2000 with the objective of promoting simple and responsible urban living by reducing personal car ownership. Over the past two decades, Zipcar has been supporting the diverse communities of New York City by providing socially responsible and sustainable transportation options, thereby contributing to the global environment. According to Zipcar’s North American Transportation Survey, New Yorkers who use the car-sharing service choose the most appropriate mode of transportation (walking, biking, transit, or car sharing) for their trip. This helps them save money and support sustainable urban living at a higher rate than the average resident. Of note:
- Car sharers eliminate congestion on New York City’s streets. New York City has the fifth most congested streets worldwide, according to INRIX. Those who share cars are not to blame for this unwanted title: 89% of New York Zipcar members do not own a vehicle, and 42% postponed buying a vehicle due to Zipcar. If Zipcar were to leave New York, members would purchase an estimated 56,000 vehicles or enough vehicles to line the roads from Manhattan to Albany, NY or Providence, RI.
- Zipcar fleet frees spatial equivalent of seven hometown baseball stadiums and more! Each Zipcar is estimated to replace up to 13 personally owned vehicles in New York City. With a fleet of over 3,000 vehicles, including eco-friendly hybrids and electric vehicles, Zipcar enables over 9.8 million square feet (about the total floor space of the Pentagon) of free space, or the spatial equivalent of 149 miles of protected bike lanes, Governor’s Island, nearly 14 Museums of Modern Art or the entire Carroll Gardens neighborhood!
Who are New York City’s car-sharing citizens?
- Car sharing saves New Yorkers spend nearly 50% less on transportation costs. According to AAA, the annual cost of new car ownership totals a record high of $10,000. New York Zipcar members spend far less annually on total transportation costs than the national average: the average resident’s annual household transportation cost is estimated to be more than $7,000, whereas a Zipcar member’s annual household transportation cost totals approximately $3,900, netting a 50% savings that can be used for housing, childcare or leisure, etc.
- Car Sharing is for all New Yorkers. Aiming to serve all New Yorkers with convenient access to transportation, nearly 60% of Zipcar’s New York fleet is in “disadvantaged communities,” as defined by the United States Department of Transportation. Of its New York City membership base, 55% identify as BIPOC (60% in Queens, 90% in the Bronx), 90% live in multi-family housing, 30% report children under their guardianship (which is twice the rate of comparable markets), and 35% have a household income lower than the national median income of $67,500.
- New York car sharers embrace the “car-free” lifestyle. New York Zipcar members report walking, riding bikes, taking mass transit, and driving Zipcars only when truly needed, embracing environmentally friendly transportation options more than the average resident: approximately 200 walking trips annually, 27 biking trips annually (nearly double the average resident); and 183 transit trips annually (21% more than the average resident).
Zipcar offers a convenient and sustainable alternative to personal car ownership with their 24/7 on-demand, self-service access to vehicles. Members can rent cars by the hour, day, or week at convenient urban, college, or business locations with gas or electric charging options, insurance, maintenance, and dedicated parking included. Standard memberships cost $9 a month or $90 a year, with driving rates starting at $12.50 per hour or $103 per day. Sign up now using the code MONTHOFF to get the first month of membership for free. Visit zipcar.com to learn more.
