Share and Share Your Cars Alike
by Jesse Kawa, Medford Transcript
4/13/2006
Although car sharing is still a relatively new concept, it is growing more and more each day. And one local legislator is hoping to take this growing trend one step further by highlighting its many benefits on Beacon Hill.
Rep. Carl Sciortino, D-Medford, is in the process of drafting legislation that would provide incentives to individuals who utilize services like Zipcar in conjunction with public transportation.
Sciortino, who regularly uses the service himself, said he is very proud of this idea and hopes it will be embraced by his colleagues.
"There are a lot of legislators with a lot of great ideas," he said. "There are those moments when you're like this should be law. This was one of those moments for me."
He added he has spent a great deal of time over the past few months preparing this legislation and is almost ready to officially file it.
Sciortino said the legislation is made up of several different components, but the overall goal is to reduce the amount of cars on the road and as a result, improve the environment and public health.
"It's really important to connect car sharing and public transportation," he said. "The benefits are very real."
A portion of the bill, he said, would contain incentives for developers that include a car sharing component in their projects. He said this would put more people on trains and buses, reduce the amount of parking spots required in developer's plans as well as decrease air pollution.
He also hopes to provide those who regularly use both public transportation and car sharing services with some sort of perk.
An area where Sciortino admits he still needs to do some more work on is changing how shared cars are classified by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. He said the vehicles are currently given commercial license plates which brings up issues like increased tolls and restrictions on where they can be parked.
He hopes to be able to address items like these in his legislation.
Sciortino said for him car sharing has been a life saver because although he mostly uses public transportation to get around, there are times when he needs a vehicle. He said going this route really is the best of both worlds because he has access to a car, but doesn't have to worry about exorbitant car payments and insurance bills.
"It isn't for everyone, but for some it's a benefit," said Sciortino. "I signed up for Zipcar because I don't own a car and don't want to."
How does it work?
Car sharing services like Zipcar provide individuals who don't have cars with the chance to access vehicles to do their shopping, get to a doctor's appointment or even go visit friends and family.
The way the service works is very simple.
Zipcar members go online or call to request a car and then simply go pick it up at the company's nearest location.
Each car is equipped with a wireless system that only allows the individual who has reserved the particular vehicle access after he or she scans their membership card across the receiver.
The keys are already inside in the car.
The rates in and around Medford are approximately $9 an hour, which covers using the vehicle as well as gas and insurance.