Session 5
Room: Yarra
Session Title: Car Sharing
Presenters: Darcy Lechte, Go Get, Luisa Paganelli, RMIT, Taru Jain, Monash
Format: Presentation and Panel Discussion
Notetaker: Vincent Ng
Notes/Summary:
This session focused on what do we know about car sharing and how can it be more sustainable? Car sharing has begun to take off in Australia, particularly in the last 5 years and across cities around the world. Policy makers are continuing to explore whether it proves to be scalable as a sustainable transport modality. In the last four years the industry has quadrupled. Yet there are still many barriers which include:
1. Lack of awareness.
2. Lack of advocates
3. Lack of public support or incentives
4. Lack of regulatory systems for car sharing
Car sharing is already demonstrating that there are many people who are switching away from the decision to own a car. Both fleet based models and peer to peer networks are growing significantly, particularly in areas well service by public transportation. Approximately 1/3 of car share owners. Many are also using it as a second car - approximately 44%. Attitudes are shifting as social norms around car ownership are beginning to show signs of changing. In Melbourne there are three councils that have taken a particularly proactive role to include car sharing as part of their longer term transport strategic plans and there is a recommendation that other councils consider a similar approach. GoGet, the largest Australian provider already has 900 cars in Melbourne and is proactively pushing for seeing Mobility as a Service, more than simply an app and emphasised the importance of seeing car sharing as a critical component of an integrated transport system.