BigSqwert Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 Cool. I'm in the paper. I'm the first guy mentioned. I-GO picks up speed as gas prices soar May 23, 2007 By LORRAINE SWANSON Staff Writer About a year ago, Marko Hlibchuk of West Bucktown sold off his car and started using a car share program. He hasn't looked back. "You don't have to pay car insurance or gasoline or city sticker or maintenance," said Hlibchuk, 33, an internal audit manager. "It's almost a pain in the butt having a car in the city." Hlibchuk and his fiance use an I-GO car about three to four hours per week to run errands, go grocery shopping and occasionally visit friends outside the area. The rest of the time they get around by mass transit or bicycle. I-GO was started in 2002 by the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Wicker Park, a national non-profit organization that promotes sustainable urban communities both locally and throughout the country. Members rent hybrid and other low-emission vehicles by the hour to run errands and for short trips. Soaring gas prices and environmental concerns have created new momentum for the program among city dwellers, who are finding car ownership increasingly unaffordable, which can cost households between $7,000 and $8,000 annually, not including the parking tickets you get on street-cleaning days. "There's a huge amount of interest in the program and we're adding hundreds of members a month," said Sharon Feigon, CEO of I-GO Car Sharing. "People are becoming more aware of climate change and are looking to reduce their environmental footprints. Each car-share car that we put out takes 17 cars off the road. Our goal is to have a car-share car on every block and completely reduce the need to own your own car," Feigon added. Winning early support from Alderman Mary Ann Smith, 48th, and the Chicago Department of Transportation, the program was piloted in Edgewater and Hyde Park, with 10 cars. Today, I-Go has a fleet of 142 cars and 5,000 members in Chicago, Oak Park and Evanston. People join the program for a one-time membership fee of $75. I-GO also pays for the gas and insurance. "The number one destination is the grocery store followed by all kinds of shopping, errands, doctor appointments, going out with friends and visiting family in the suburbs," Feigon said. "Car-sharing members who can get rid of a primary or second car can save thousands of dollars by using a combination of mass transit, taxis and car sharing. Put all of that together, members have saved between $3,000 and $4,000 a year, which they have used to buy condos or pay for an education," Feigon explained. William Swartmore and his wife, Ann Marie Gray, a couple of inveterate CTA users, were about to cave and buy a used car when they learned I-Go was coming to their Lincoln Square neighborhood five years ago. "We were the first subscribers in the neighborhood to do it," Swartmore said. "We get the cars two or three hours at a time and lump all our activities together. Spending $30 on car sharing is cheaper than cabs. We get all the benefits of having a car without the hassle. It's really helped simplify our lives," Swartmore added. Mark Seaman, of Rogers Park, uses I-Go for his dessert catering business as a second delivery vehicle. He first learned of I-Go from one of his students in a business class that he teaches, and now promotes I-Go as a way to reduce delivery vehicle costs to students who are starting their own businesses. "The time it takes to rent a mini-van can tie up two people to fill out the forms and get to the car rental place. I-Go is parked nearby and reservations can be made online or over the phone," Seaman said. http://www.pioneerlocal.com/booster2/news/...2307-s1.article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapkomet Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 That's cool. I bet you're rich, with no car and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSqwert Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 QUOTE(kapkomet @ May 23, 2007 -> 10:04 AM) That's cool. I bet you're rich, with no car and all. Definitely gives me more disposable income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Kickass Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ May 23, 2007 -> 08:21 AM) That's the plug-in car, yes? Cars that just pull a charge from elsewhere and use it up aren't really doing much to help either the environment or your gas bills. It just shifts the energy demand from the road to the power plant. It's a plug in hybrid, and will enable to this car to get up to 750 miles on a 12 gallon tank IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted May 23, 2007 Share Posted May 23, 2007 QUOTE(NorthSideSox72 @ May 23, 2007 -> 08:21 AM) That's the plug-in car, yes? Cars that just pull a charge from elsewhere and use it up aren't really doing much to help either the environment or your gas bills. It just shifts the energy demand from the road to the power plant. A large-scale power plant is going to be more efficient than an internal combustion engine. QUOTE(BigSqwert @ May 23, 2007 -> 10:30 AM) Definitely gives me more disposable income. Seems like a great idea for people in dense, urban areas. I'd definitely consider public transportation if it were a realistic option for people in the suburbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted May 24, 2007 Share Posted May 24, 2007 QUOTE(Rex Kicka** @ May 23, 2007 -> 12:14 PM) It's a plug in hybrid, and will enable to this car to get up to 750 miles on a 12 gallon tank IIRC. If the car itself generates some power, which it would if its a true hybrid as you mention, then that's great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 QUOTE(BigSqwert @ May 23, 2007 -> 10:30 AM) Definitely gives me more disposable income. What is the rental fee? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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