Car-sharing New Yorkers spend half as much on
transportation than car-owning counterparts and free city spatial
equivalent of seven hometown baseball stadiums
NEW
YORK, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ --
September 22nd 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 New Yorkers, those who share a car (compared
to personal car owners) significantly contribute to the
environmental and social health of New
York by eliminating additional cars, traffic, parking
competition and carbon emissions from the city. In fact, nearly 30%
of Zipcar members in New York City
ditched their personal car after joining Zipcar, eliminating an
estimated 37,000 vehicles from New
York'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
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 New York City'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 New Yorkers 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 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 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 survey with a sample size of
approximately 6,800 respondents in North
America, of which 2,012 identified as New Yorkers.
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