America’s love affair with the automobile has never been greater. A new service coming to the Edgewater community hopes to encourage neighbors to share that love with each other by establishing a new car-sharing cooperative.
I-GO is a membership-based, pay-per-use transportation service that provides all the freedom and convenience of using a car without most of the costs and many of the hassles. I-GO plans to start service in early March using a secured lot adjacent to the Jewel-Osco Store, 5343 N. Broadway Ave., where their members can pick up and drop off cars.
“We’re asking people to chose a smarter way to drive,” said Kathy Summers, vice president for marketing with I-GO Cars, a not-for-profit cooperative. “It’s like owning a car, only better.”
Similar services have operated for years on the west and east coasts, in Canada and in Europe, but this is the first attempt to bring that idea to a large urban area in the Midwest. Mobility Switzerland, launched in 1987, is perhaps the largest car sharing organization in the world with more than 30,000 members sharing 1,400 cars.
I-GO will start with four 2002 four-door Honda Civics with a target of 240 members by year end. “We chose the Civic because it offers low emissions and gets high gas mileage,” said Summers. “Car sharing will deliver service, flexibly and consistently, to achieve its broader goals of reduction in vehicle emissions, parking demand and congestion.”
Potential members will be screened and receive a one-hour orientation prior to driving. There is a $25 non-refundable application fee and, once a member is approved, he’ll pay a one-time only $100 membership fee. Usage fees are $4.50 per hour plus .50˘ per mile. Members will received an itemized monthly bill for usage, which will also include an additional $20 monthly administrative fee. These costs should, at the end of a given year, be substantially less than owning a car outright in the Chicagoland region.
By paying only for miles and hours driven, using I-GO should provide mobility for its members at a fraction of the cost of actually owning a car. While Edgewater is Chicago’s pilot community, Summers says other communities will also be targeted if this test proves positive. “Ald. [Mary Ann] Smith (48th) was incredibly helpful and enthusiastic to get this program started in her ward and we felt the demographics were right for this type of service, “ said Summers. Hyde Park is expected to be the second market where this service is to be launched.
Car sharing complements public transportation for the occasional trip for which a rental car or a taxi is not suitable. Car sharing organizations are generally established in high-density neighborhoods with easy access to public transportation. On average, 15 to 20 members are assigned to a car in close proximity to their homes but have the flexibility to use any car in the fleet.
Neighborhood support is critical to the success of the program. Those seeking more information on this service can call (773) 278-4800, ext. 111, or visit the Web site at www.i-go-cars.org.
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