Hello Regina Car-Sharers!
Please come and join us for a Holiday Celebration on Dec 19th. meeting at 6pm, eating at 7pm.
1909 Toronto Street
Event: Regina Car Share Holiday Brew-Ha-Ha
"Share some food,drink and a car!"
What: Dinner Party pot luck
Host: Regina Car share
When: Wednesday, December 19 at 6:00pm
Where: 1909 Toronto St
To see more details and RSVP, follow the link.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Next Meeting for Regina Car Share: November 28 6:30PM
1909 Toronto St.
6:30 PM pot luck supper and meeting November 28, 2007
6:30 PM pot luck supper and meeting November 28, 2007
Developing a Car Sharing Service - document
Benoit Robert, President of CommunAuto inc. made a document in January 2000 about how the first car sharing service in Canada was started in Quebec City in August 1994. (Word version)
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Next meeting in November
The next meeting will be held at Erin, Hussy, and Truro’s (1909 Toronto St) at 6:30 PM. November 14th, 2007. It will be a Potluck meeting.
Agenda for Wednesday's meeting:
1) Review Action Items/Status
2) Incorporation
3) Job Application
4) Web Site
Agenda for Wednesday's meeting:
1) Review Action Items/Status
2) Incorporation
3) Job Application
4) Web Site
Monday, October 29, 2007
Halloween Party Pot Luck 6:30 Tuesday Oct. 30
Pot Luck 6:30 Tuesday Oct. 30, 2007
At Toronto St. location.
Email reginacarshare@yahoo.ca for details.
At Toronto St. location.
Email reginacarshare@yahoo.ca for details.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Job posting
Regina Car-Share Cooperative
Project Coordinator
This is a half-time position for one year with the possibility of extension in a quarter-time role. Salary and benefits are negotiable.
Job Description: The Project Coordinator reports to the Regina Car-Share Cooperative (RCSC) Board of Directors to create, market and operate Regina's first Car-Sharing service.
Responsibilities:
• Create a co-operative ownership structure for RCSC.
• Oversee the design of an on-line booking system for RCSC.
• Research insurance options for multi-person vehicle ownership.
• Negotiate insurance structure for multi-person vehicle ownership with SGI.
• Research and propose the appropriate vehicle types suitable for RCSC.
• Negotiate ownership options for the RCSC vehicles.
• Secure parking spaces for the vehicles.
• Research and design a fee structure for vehicle use keeping in mind the need for each vehicle to pay for all of its associated costs through user fees, and the need for the RCSC to provide an affordable transportation option to users.
• Market the RCSC to potential members, including residential members and potential business members such as the City of Regina or the University of Regina.
• Network with community groups and businesses to establish new partnerships.
• Network with other car co-operatives across Canada and North America.
• Coordinate communications with media.
• Write grants for funding opportunities.
• Coordinate vehicle maintenance.
• Create business plan, schedule and budget.
• And other stuff as it comes up.
Qualifications:
• Excellent relationship-building skills; including the ability to win over the hearts of potential users and partners
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Experience starting and running a business
• Experience in volunteer recruitment and supervision
• Knowledge of cars an asset, but not a requirement
• Knowledge of budgeting, economics and finance
• Computer skills and ability to work fluently in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Publisher), Internet and Email
• Knowledge of or interest in learning how to update a website (experience an asset but not required)
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Superior time and project management skills; able to work under changing circumstances within deadlines
• An overwhelming desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and see fewer vehicles on our roads!
Requirements
• Access to a computer
• Desire to work from home
• Valid Class 5 license
Deadline for applications is November 1, 2007
Send resume and cover letter (in .doc or .rtf format) by email to: Regina Car Share Cooperative at reginacarshare@yahoo.ca with "project coordinator" in the subject line.
Project Coordinator
This is a half-time position for one year with the possibility of extension in a quarter-time role. Salary and benefits are negotiable.
Job Description: The Project Coordinator reports to the Regina Car-Share Cooperative (RCSC) Board of Directors to create, market and operate Regina's first Car-Sharing service.
Responsibilities:
• Create a co-operative ownership structure for RCSC.
• Oversee the design of an on-line booking system for RCSC.
• Research insurance options for multi-person vehicle ownership.
• Negotiate insurance structure for multi-person vehicle ownership with SGI.
• Research and propose the appropriate vehicle types suitable for RCSC.
• Negotiate ownership options for the RCSC vehicles.
• Secure parking spaces for the vehicles.
• Research and design a fee structure for vehicle use keeping in mind the need for each vehicle to pay for all of its associated costs through user fees, and the need for the RCSC to provide an affordable transportation option to users.
• Market the RCSC to potential members, including residential members and potential business members such as the City of Regina or the University of Regina.
• Network with community groups and businesses to establish new partnerships.
• Network with other car co-operatives across Canada and North America.
• Coordinate communications with media.
• Write grants for funding opportunities.
• Coordinate vehicle maintenance.
• Create business plan, schedule and budget.
• And other stuff as it comes up.
Qualifications:
• Excellent relationship-building skills; including the ability to win over the hearts of potential users and partners
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Experience starting and running a business
• Experience in volunteer recruitment and supervision
• Knowledge of cars an asset, but not a requirement
• Knowledge of budgeting, economics and finance
• Computer skills and ability to work fluently in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Publisher), Internet and Email
• Knowledge of or interest in learning how to update a website (experience an asset but not required)
• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Superior time and project management skills; able to work under changing circumstances within deadlines
• An overwhelming desire to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and see fewer vehicles on our roads!
Requirements
• Access to a computer
• Desire to work from home
• Valid Class 5 license
Deadline for applications is November 1, 2007
Send resume and cover letter (in .doc or .rtf format) by email to: Regina Car Share Cooperative at reginacarshare@yahoo.ca with "project coordinator" in the subject line.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
UPDATED: Meeting WEDNESDAY Oct. 17, 2007
NOTE UPDATED DATE:
Minutes will be posted yet, but for now the details of the next meeting:
It's at a new location, so head to Erin's at
1909 Toronto St.
6:30 PM
October 17, 2007 WEDNESDAY
where we will dine on pot luck supper, and share the latest details and/or work in creating the co-operative.
Minutes will be posted yet, but for now the details of the next meeting:
It's at a new location, so head to Erin's at
1909 Toronto St.
6:30 PM
October 17, 2007 WEDNESDAY
where we will dine on pot luck supper, and share the latest details and/or work in creating the co-operative.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Minutes, and next meeting on Oct. 4 2007
Please note the date and location change for the next RCSC meeting/potluck which will be held: Thursday, Oct 4th, 6:30pm 2262 Halifax St.
Thanks to everyone who was able to make it to Wednesday night’s meeting.
Here is a brief overview of what we discussed [For all of the details see the email, as I've removed some entries from this web posting]:
-We got official word from the Vancouver Cooperative Auto Network that we can have free access to their online booking for our website.
-Jenn, Heather and I met with Wayne Thrasher and Dan Bean from the Regional Economic Development Office.
-Jenn and I were on the CBC morning edition Wednesday talking about the Coop.
The interview will be posted for the next week.
-We made a few tweaks to the job description that Brett wrote up, and agreed to send it out after next week’s meeting.
-Website proposals are due next Wednesday, Oct 3rd. Heather will head up the search committee, and is still interested in finding others who might be interested in helping out.
Tasks for next meeting:
Mark – E-mailing job description changes to Brett
Brett – Tweaking job description
Jenn – Contacting the Computer Science Department at the U of R to see if anyone might be interested in submitting a website RFP.
John – Blog and e-mail account
Heather – Website Search Committee
Malin – Submitting incorporation application
Shawn – Sending this e-mail
The next RCSC meeting/potluck will be held at Mark and Megan’s house, 2262 Halifax St., on Thursday, October 4th, 2007, 6:30 pm. Micheal Bell has agreed to start the meeting with a ‘group dynamic’ exercise.
I’m off to Africa on Monday, and barring major infectious disease or Hippopotamus bite will be back sometime next June. It has been a pleasure working with everyone, and I look forward to hearing updates of the Car Share’s progress from abroad.
Good luck and see you soon!!!
Shawn F.
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Pot luck and short meeting planned for Wednesday Sept 26 6:30PM
The fourth meeting will be a potluck again and will take place Wednesday September 26th at 6:30pm at Shawn's place (Suite B 2260 Scarth St., beside Central Park)
The meeting is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about how Regina Car-Share will work and to those who would like to contribute to the start-up process. We also hope that those who were not able to join us tonight can come next week and have a great pot luck meal with the group.
The meeting is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about how Regina Car-Share will work and to those who would like to contribute to the start-up process. We also hope that those who were not able to join us tonight can come next week and have a great pot luck meal with the group.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Invitation to Regina Car-Share's second meeting
Thanks to those who came out to Regina Car-Share's first meeting Wednesday night! We were about 18, which is a great turnout. The second meeting will be a potluck again and will take place next Wednesday August 29th at 6:30pm at Shawn's place at suite B 2260 Scarth St. The meeting is open to anyone who is interested in learning more about how Regina Car-Share will work and to those who would like to contribute to the start-up process. We also hope that those who were not able to join us yesterday can come next week. If Wednesdays do not work for some of you, let us know and we will schedule the third meeting on another day.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Car sharing provides cheap wheels
Posted on msn August 21, 2007
By Gordon Powers
The average annual cost of driving even a small car is now somewhere around $10,000, according to the Canadian Automobile Association. As a result, car ownership is making less and less sense to many people, especially those who live in the city and can bike or grab a bus. And yet, there are times when having a car – or at least access to one – is still a bit of a must. That's why more and more urban drivers are looking at car-sharing services that allow drivers to rent cars by the day, or even the hour.
Unlike a carpooling system, where a few people show up each morning and drive to work together, car sharing involves joining an organization that owns vehicles scattered throughout a city. Members pick up cars from various locations across town and return them to the same spot. You book online or by phone, pay an hourly rate to use the car, and then return it to its designated parking spot when finished. There are no worries about leasing, insurance, maintenance, or the price of gas. You've got to be organized though. The car must be returned within the reservation time or else somebody who's booked it after you might be left waiting. You can, however, extend things if there are no requests following yours.
Aside from saving some money, you're also making a green choice. Reducing the number of cars on the road eases congestion, frees up parking spaces and reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
Car sharing was pioneered in Europe about 20 years ago but the first Canadian provider was Quebec City's Communauto (http://www.communauto.com), established 13 years ago and now boasting about 10,000 members in Quebec, Montreal and other centres across the province. Currently, there are about a dozen cities in Canada with some kind of large-scale car-sharing organization. In smaller centres such as Victoria or Kitchener, most of these are co-ops, driven largely by those seeking to reduce their environmental footprint. In Toronto though, car sharing is becoming big business. Zipcar (www.zipcar.com), launched in Boston in 1999, now operates several thousand vehicles across North America, including Toronto over the past two years. Its biggest competitor there is AutoShare (www.autoshare.com), which has been up and running for about the same time – albeit without national exposure. Both have cars scattered throughout the downtown area and available around the clock. Once you sign up, Zipcar sends you an access card; from there, you use the Internet to reserve a car. On arrival, you wave the card at a card reader near the driver-side visor, which will unlock the car door. The keys are already inside. Each car also contains a debit card that you can use to top up the gas tank. After the rental, the company tallies your usage and sends you a bill.
Not quite as high tech, AutoShare members are provided with a special key that opens a lockbox in each lot where they park their cars. You'll find the ignition keys inside which you return to their respective box when you're through. You'll also be asked to enter your final odometer reading into a log book, which takes only seconds.
Pricing plans for car sharing vary tremendously, even within individual organizations. Most co-ops – and some for-profit firms – require an upfront deposit, which is refunded when the member leaves. And some charge a small membership. With the bigger for-profit firms, you choose from a variety of packages, depending on how much or how little you drive. Daily rates are available and are on par with car rental companies – unless you factor in the insurance that rental companies try to pitch as an extra. Hourly rates and distance charges vary sharply though. Quebec's Communauto, for instance, has annual dues of anywhere from $35 to $350 a year, depending on the package chosen, plus per-kilometre rates of between 16 and 29 cents. Hourly rates range from $1.55 on weekdays to $2.05 on weekends.
The annual fee for a basic plan is $55 at Zipcar and $35 for AutoShare. The per-kilometre and administration rates vary, depending on the amount of driving you do in a calendar month. Hourly rates at for-profits are higher than at the co-ops: around $10.50 at Zipcar, which includes 150 kilometres per 24-hour period, and closer to $9.50 on AutoShare's basic plan which charges by the kilometre. The per-kilometre charges from either company, however, are not as high as those you'll likely face at a co-op. AutoShare also offers non-peak rates from midnight to 7 am, a bonus for shift workers or night owls. While fee schedules and plans are all over the map, the actual cost differences aren't that significant. To put things in perspective, a 3.5 hour, 40- kilometre trip to Ikea is going to run you around 30 to 33 bucks, regardless of which of the two Toronto-based firms you use. Most of the vehicles available are general-purpose sedans or economy cars. Vans and specialty cars, when available, carry higher rates – generally $1 or $2 an hour. Both Zipcar and AutoShare have had clean-air Priuses in their fleets for awhile now and have been adding more of them as their businesses grow.
By Gordon Powers
The average annual cost of driving even a small car is now somewhere around $10,000, according to the Canadian Automobile Association. As a result, car ownership is making less and less sense to many people, especially those who live in the city and can bike or grab a bus. And yet, there are times when having a car – or at least access to one – is still a bit of a must. That's why more and more urban drivers are looking at car-sharing services that allow drivers to rent cars by the day, or even the hour.
Unlike a carpooling system, where a few people show up each morning and drive to work together, car sharing involves joining an organization that owns vehicles scattered throughout a city. Members pick up cars from various locations across town and return them to the same spot. You book online or by phone, pay an hourly rate to use the car, and then return it to its designated parking spot when finished. There are no worries about leasing, insurance, maintenance, or the price of gas. You've got to be organized though. The car must be returned within the reservation time or else somebody who's booked it after you might be left waiting. You can, however, extend things if there are no requests following yours.
Aside from saving some money, you're also making a green choice. Reducing the number of cars on the road eases congestion, frees up parking spaces and reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.
Car-sharing drivers actually change their behaviour when they become members, advocates suggest. They're being charged by the hour, so they tend to group their trips together and they don't drive as much as they did before. Members also say they prefer such alternatives as opposed to traditional rent-a-car services because they don't need to line up, fill out forms or even have to make their way to a rental office.
Car sharing was pioneered in Europe about 20 years ago but the first Canadian provider was Quebec City's Communauto (http://www.communauto.com), established 13 years ago and now boasting about 10,000 members in Quebec, Montreal and other centres across the province. Currently, there are about a dozen cities in Canada with some kind of large-scale car-sharing organization. In smaller centres such as Victoria or Kitchener, most of these are co-ops, driven largely by those seeking to reduce their environmental footprint. In Toronto though, car sharing is becoming big business. Zipcar (www.zipcar.com), launched in Boston in 1999, now operates several thousand vehicles across North America, including Toronto over the past two years. Its biggest competitor there is AutoShare (www.autoshare.com), which has been up and running for about the same time – albeit without national exposure. Both have cars scattered throughout the downtown area and available around the clock. Once you sign up, Zipcar sends you an access card; from there, you use the Internet to reserve a car. On arrival, you wave the card at a card reader near the driver-side visor, which will unlock the car door. The keys are already inside. Each car also contains a debit card that you can use to top up the gas tank. After the rental, the company tallies your usage and sends you a bill.
Not quite as high tech, AutoShare members are provided with a special key that opens a lockbox in each lot where they park their cars. You'll find the ignition keys inside which you return to their respective box when you're through. You'll also be asked to enter your final odometer reading into a log book, which takes only seconds.
Pricing plans for car sharing vary tremendously, even within individual organizations. Most co-ops – and some for-profit firms – require an upfront deposit, which is refunded when the member leaves. And some charge a small membership. With the bigger for-profit firms, you choose from a variety of packages, depending on how much or how little you drive. Daily rates are available and are on par with car rental companies – unless you factor in the insurance that rental companies try to pitch as an extra. Hourly rates and distance charges vary sharply though. Quebec's Communauto, for instance, has annual dues of anywhere from $35 to $350 a year, depending on the package chosen, plus per-kilometre rates of between 16 and 29 cents. Hourly rates range from $1.55 on weekdays to $2.05 on weekends.
The annual fee for a basic plan is $55 at Zipcar and $35 for AutoShare. The per-kilometre and administration rates vary, depending on the amount of driving you do in a calendar month. Hourly rates at for-profits are higher than at the co-ops: around $10.50 at Zipcar, which includes 150 kilometres per 24-hour period, and closer to $9.50 on AutoShare's basic plan which charges by the kilometre. The per-kilometre charges from either company, however, are not as high as those you'll likely face at a co-op. AutoShare also offers non-peak rates from midnight to 7 am, a bonus for shift workers or night owls. While fee schedules and plans are all over the map, the actual cost differences aren't that significant. To put things in perspective, a 3.5 hour, 40- kilometre trip to Ikea is going to run you around 30 to 33 bucks, regardless of which of the two Toronto-based firms you use. Most of the vehicles available are general-purpose sedans or economy cars. Vans and specialty cars, when available, carry higher rates – generally $1 or $2 an hour. Both Zipcar and AutoShare have had clean-air Priuses in their fleets for awhile now and have been adding more of them as their businesses grow.
Invitation to car-sharing picnic
Do you want to join Regina
If you are interested in joining the car-sharing coop or if you want to find out more information about it, please join us for a picnic potluck on Wednesday, August 22nd at 6:30pm inCentral Park (between Scarth and Hamilton St 15th Ave. 2260 Scarth St
You can contact us at reginacarshare@yahoo.ca
If you are interested in joining the car-sharing coop or if you want to find out more information about it, please join us for a picnic potluck on Wednesday, August 22nd at 6:30pm in
You can contact us at reginacarshare@yahoo.ca
Welcome to Regina Car-Share
This is a very exciting opportunity and we will begin to recruit members right away! The first car will be located downtown
Please check this blog for updated information on Regina Car-Share as well as car-sharing in general.
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