Austin CarShare opens doors to green alternative

UT students and faculty who live in West Campus, Hyde Park or the downtown area can now take advantage of a green-friendly car-sharing program, but less than 10 percent of the organization's users are affiliated with the University.

Austin CarShare, a nonprofit organization that provides members of the Austin community with an opportunity to cut back on their finances and help the environment, has been aiming for city-wide membership since its birth about two years ago.

The organization, which began on Oct. 29, 2006, provides an alternative to owning a car. Each car shared means 12 fewer cars on the road and 4,000 fewer gallons of gas used, which leads to 21,000 fewer pounds of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, said Austin CarShare Board Chair Brandy Clark. The average savings for members per year is $6,500. That could have a big impact on a student's budget, Clark said.

"We are a nonprofit that allows our members who join to check out vehicles by the quarter hour. When you get a membership, you can gain access to all the cars in our fleet," Clark said.

When the organization began, there were only 43 active members. There are now 125 active members and 67 inactive members. Inactive members are supporters of the organization who do not use the service often, Clark said.

Since the first of the year, Clark said their membership growth rates have more than doubled from last year.

"I don't know if it's New Year's resolutions to be more environmentally friendly, or to save money. I don't know what the motivation is, but a lot more people are signing up now, so that's pretty exciting," Clark said.

The members of the organization have joined for a variety of reasons.

"The money was not an issue for me. I wanted to lower my carbon footprint on the planet, and this is a way to do it," said Arlyn Hughes, a member of the organization. "The idea of sharing a car to me just makes a lot more sense environmentally, financially and in every way."

Members of this organization receive top-level discounts at two car rental companies, Avis and Hertz. The organization has designated parking spots around Austin, including one behind the University Co-op. Members can also park at City of Austin parking meters for free.

For an individual to join, he or she must be 21 years old or older, with a good driving record and without any citations for driving under the influence or driving while intoxicated.

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