Car-sharing Washingtonians spend half as much
on transportation than car-owning counterparts and free city
spatial equivalent of 70 Lincoln Memorials
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- September
22 marks the worldwide initiative "Car-Free Day," which
encourages motorists to take a break from driving and explore
environmentally-friendly options like mass transit, biking,
scooters and walking. According to a new survey from Zipcar, the
world's leading car-sharing company, a segment of Washingtonians,
those who share a car (compared to personal car owners),
significantly contribute to the environmental and social health of
Washington D.C. by eliminating
additional cars on the road, congestion, parking competition and
carbon emissions. Nearly 30% of Zipcar members in Washington D.C. ditched their personal car
after joining Zipcar, eliminating an estimated 8,000 vehicles from
Washington D.C.'s streets.
"As the cost of car ownership rises and parking becomes
increasingly competitive in neighborhoods, Washingtonians 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 DuPont Circle? No
one!"
The Impact of Car Sharing in Washington D.C.
Founded in 2000, Zipcar
is driven by a mission: to enable simple and responsible urban
living by reducing personal car ownership. For over twenty years,
Zipcar has supported D.C.'s diverse communities, city livability,
and the global environment with socially responsible, sustainable
transportation. According to Zipcar's new North American
Transportation Survey, car-sharing Washingtonians take the suitable
transportation mode (walking, biking, transit, car sharing) for the
right trip, saving money and supporting sustainable urban living at
a higher rate than the average resident. Of note:
- Car sharers ditch personal vehicles and eliminate congestion
on DC streets. Washington,
D.C., has the twentieth most congested streets
worldwide, according to INRIX. Those who share cars are not
to blame for this unwanted title: 79% of Washington D.C. Zipcar members do not own a
vehicle, and 50% postponed buying a vehicle due to Zipcar. If
Zipcar were to leave Washington,
D.C., members would purchase an estimated 12,000 vehicles or
enough vehicles to line the roads from downtown to Frederick, MD.
- Washington D.C. Shared
Fleet Frees Space Equivalent to Seventy Lincoln Memorials and
more! Each Zipcar is estimated to replace up to 13 personally
owned vehicles in Washington, D.C.
With over 500 vehicles, including eco-friendly hybrids and electric
vehicles, Zipcar enables over 1.6 million square feet of free space
or the spatial equivalent of 49 miles of protected bike lanes,
nineteen National Cathedrals, and two and a half Libraries of
Congress!
Who are Washington D.C.'s
car-sharing citizens?
- Car-sharing Washingtonians save $6,600 annually on transportation. According
to AAA, the annual cost of new car ownership totals a record high
of over $10,000. Washington D.C. Zipcar members spend far less
annually on total transportation costs than the national average: a
Zipcar member's annual household transportation cost totals
approximately $2,700, netting a 64%
savings that can be used for housing, childcare or leisure,
etc.
- Car Sharing is for all Washingtonians. Of its
Washington D.C. membership base,
48% identify as BIPOC, 78% live in multi-family housing, and more
than one-third have a household income lower than the national
median income of $67,500. Sixty-seven
percent of low-income residents reported improved quality of life
because of access to Zipcar.
- Washington D.C. car sharers
embrace the "car-free" lifestyle. Washingtonian 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, 28 biking trips annually
(more than twice the average resident); and 140 transit trips
annually (44% more than the average resident).
Zipcar provides 24/7 on-demand, self-service access to vehicles
by the hour, day or week in convenient urban, college or business
locations with gas or electric charging, insurance options,
maintenance and dedicated parking included, making it a more
cost-effective and sustainable option than personal car ownership.
Standard memberships are $9 a month
or $90 a year, with driving rates
starting from $12.50/hour and
$103/day. For a limited time, the
first month of membership is free with the
code MONTHOFF. Learn more at www.zipcar.com.
About the Zipcar North American Transportation
Survey
Zipcar-specific data was collected as part of
Zipcar's North American Transportation Survey, a sample size of
approximately 6,800 respondents in North
America, of which 390 identified as Washington D.C. residents. Industry-specific
data was made possible by Zipcar's partners at Sam Schwartz
Consulting and credible third-party industry leaders.
About Zipcar
Zipcar is the world's leading car-sharing
network, driven by a mission to enable simple and responsible urban
living. With its wide variety of self-service vehicles available by
the hour, day or week, Zipcar operates in urban areas and
university campuses in hundreds of cities, towns, and universities.
Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a
leading global transportation solutions provider. More information
is available at www.zipcar.com.
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SOURCE Zipcar