This will be interesting to watch. Anybody else remember Yellow Bicycles? Dan McGrath http://www.smokeoutgary.org
----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Jensvold" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 11:54 AM Subject: [Mpls] Car Sharing for the Twin Cities getting closer.. (forward) > [Forwarded by Mike Jensvold - Ward 10] > > 02 December 2004 > > For Immediate Release > > FFI: Mary Morse 651-221-4462 x139 > > hOurCar Funded > > Groundbreaking Car-Sharing Program to Start Twin > Cities Operations > > > > The Neighborhood Energy Consortium (NEC) announced > today that it will launch Minnesota's first > car-sharing service with seed funding from the federal > government, Hennepin County, the state Office of > Environmental Assistance, and the Saint Paul > Foundation. The NEC's program, called hOurCar, will > get rolling in the spring with six cars distributed > among hubs in the Uptown and Loring Park neighborhoods > in Minneapolis and the Lowertown district of downtown > Saint Paul. > > Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Senators Norm Coleman > and Mark Dayton, and Congressman James Oberstar led > efforts at the federal level to secure a $275,000 > appropriation to help launch hOurCar. "I am pleased > to have succeeded in securing federal funding for this > investment in our transportation future," said > Congresswoman McCollum. "hOurCar is an innovative > program that provides creative transportation > solutions to ease congestion, improve air quality and > make transportation opportunities more accessible to > everyone, benefiting our entire community." > > Locally Commissioner Peter McLaughlin worked with > hOurCar to obtain a $50,000 pledge from Hennepin > County to help underwrite the launch of hOurCar > operations in Minneapolis. The Saint Paul Foundation > will contribute $25,000 to bring hOurCar services to > Saint Paul. The state's Office of Environmental > Assistance will augment its initial hOurCar planning > support with a grant to put cars on the road. > > Car-sharing is a neighborhood-based mobility service > that allows members to use cars when needed and pay > based on how much they drive. hOurCar will manage a > fleet of late-model automobiles for members' use. > Members will reserve cars through the hOurCar website > or by phone. The electronically secured cars will be > parked in hubs of two to five cars, in ramps and on > lots located within a short walk, bike, or transit > ride of members' homes and workplaces. > > hOurCar members may save up to several thousand > dollars each year by car-sharing. With a fleet > comprised entirely of gas-electric hybrid vehicles and > a flexible payment plan, hOurCar aims to maximize > car-sharing's proven benefits of cleaner air, reduced > traffic, resource conservation, and greater mobility > for residents at all income levels. hOurCar offers > membership plans tailored to meet the distinct needs > of individual drivers, households, and businesses. > > Members will pay for hOurCar's services through > monthly membership dues and vehicle usage fees. > Members who opt to pay $5/month dues can use hOurCars > at a rate of $6.95/hour plus $0.45/mile. > Alternatively, members may choose to pay higher > monthly dues of $20 along with lower usage rates of > $4.95/hour plus $0.39/mile. "Our unique dual rate > structure allows members to choose the plan that will > save them the most money," points out Kurt Fischer, > hOurCar's manager. "hOurCar pays for everything > else-fuel, insurance, maintenance-everything." > > To maximize participation and to ensure community > benefits, hOurCar planners are working closely with > the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Metro > Commuter Services, neighborhood groups such as the > Uptown Association, Citizens for a Loring Park > Community and the CapitolRiver Council, and several > Twin Cities Transportation Management Organizations, > housing developers, and local elected officials. > > Mary Morse, Executive Director of the NEC, hOurCar's > nonprofit parent organization, notes that "What makes > hOurCar unique among car-sharing services worldwide is > our emphasis on environmental benefits. Our signature > vehicle-the Toyota Prius-is known for its fuel > efficiency. What's less well known is that this car is > incredibly clean. According to Toyota, the Prius emits > up to 90% fewer pollutants than the average new > vehicle. And the Prius is a great looking car that's > fun to drive." > > Independent researchers have documented the benefits > of car-sharing in the San Francisco Bay area where > City CarShare (CCS), the nation's largest nonprofit > car-sharing organization operates. CCS members are > driving fewer miles, generating less pollution, > consuming less gasoline, increasing their use of > transit, and biking more since joining CCS. hOurCar > will work with researchers at the University of > Minnesota's Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs to > evaluate the impact of hOurCar on the Twin Cities. > > Gay Noble, an Uptown resident and aide to Minneapolis > City Council member Dan Niziolek, remarked, "To have > hOurCar locating in Uptown is such a great addition > for residents in the area. For me personally this is > so exciting since I do not own a car. Now I'll have > use of a car for those times I need to get to places > not served by transit." > > For more information about hOurCar and to register > interest in membership, visit www.hOurCar.org. > > The NEC is a 19-year-old nonprofit organization that > promotes sustainable communities. In addition to > launching hOurCar, the NEC conducts utility-sponsored > residential energy audits and insulation programs, > provides consultation on energy-efficient > construction, offers residential energy improvement > loans, and produces Minnesota's largest recreational > bike ride, the Saint Paul Classic Bike Tour. > > > > ### > > > > Neighborhood Energy Consortium > > 624 Selby Avenue > > Saint Paul, MN 55104 > > 651-221-4462 > > www.hourcar.org > > www.spnec.org > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
