The car sharing was born in order to provide a solution to the problem of mobility drive in big cities. With this initiative, you do not need to have your own vehicle to travel to the other part of the city or attend a meeting, since it allows you to rent a car by the minute or for a limited time at a more than reasonable price.
The promise of a new business model
In addition to all the advantages that this service has and that you will be able to learn about a little later, it also raises a new business model. That is why it is important to know how it is going to impact the automotive sector and the need for users to purchase their own vehicles or not.
The cost of acquiring an electric vehicle is a barrier, in many cases insurmountable, for the acquisition of these cars by traditional users. The car sharing facilitates access to these vehicles, although one of its major handicaps is related to the lack of structure for electrical recharging units because it still is not fully developed supply in any area.
Nowadays, it seems that this concept is developing more every day, and that can mean the elimination of traffic jams or traffic jams and that parking spaces are free.
A few years ago, this service was presented as a great alternative for environmental sustainability. It is currently one of the most important characteristics.
This service is a mobility alternative that differs from the so-called shared car or ‘carpooling.’ In addition, it has the advantage that you can rent it by hours or even minutes, as you need it.
Modalities of use
In order to use this service you have two modalities:
- Fixed rental base, in which the user is obliged to collect and return the vehicle in the same place.
- ‘Free-floating,’ which allows you to hire a service, use the car and leave it parked within the area defined by the company.
Advantages of car sharing
Now, let’s see what all the advantages of using this service are:
1. Ease of parking
As the size of the units used in these services is not particularly large, they can be parked very easily.
This option may be recommended for a tourist who visits a city and wants to get to his hotel as soon as possible to settle in, but once installed if he wants to visit the museums of a city, for example, he will be paying for the vehicle to be more parked time than in use. On the other hand, for a professional who needs to carry out procedures in the urban center, it may be the most advisable option.
2. Pricing by minutes
This option is cheaper than conventional vehicles when you need it for a short trip or a short period of time. The advantage is that you will only pay for the time you are using the vehicle. You will find this service at a cost halfway between using a public service and a taxi.
However, if you are one of those who need to rent a car in Karachi for a full day or even several days, the cheapest option will be to use a traditional vehicle rental.
3. Proximity
When you go to use this service, you realize that you can locate the vehicle that is closest to your location, which is a time saving to take into account, since you do not have to travel to the car.
4. Environmental sustainability
It is, without a doubt, one of the most important advantages of this service. The fleets are made up of electric vehicles, which facilitates their use in the centers of large cities that have traffic restrictions.
5. Affordable cost
The city councils are also responsible for promoting this type of alternatives to mobility. Therefore, when you use them, you can park in the blue or green areas without paying for parking. Another advantage that this service offers is that you can circulate on the Bus-HOV lane.
However, despite the positive impact it has on the environment and transport, there is still a long way to go, as this type of alternative is still being looked at with certain reservations.
Disadvantages of car sharing
The restriction of circulation in the center of large European cities is responsible for the promotion of this type of initiative, but although they have many advantages, it is also true that they present some disadvantages compared to a traditional rental.
1. Low availability
Despite the fact that this service is booming, its availability is not universal, and it is subject to the existence of free vehicles near your position.
The best way to avoid this problem is to check in advance the cars you have available in real-time to be able to make the journey you need to cover.
2. It is not profitable for long journeys
If your mobility needs include a long journey of several days or hours, this method may not be the most profitable for you. The reason is very simple, the service is priced per minute.
With this handicap, users tend to create great confusion, since if they use the service for a long time during the same period of time or days, they may find themselves with a higher bill than they could initially foresee when hiring the service.
Therefore, in this type of situation, it is best to contact a traditional car rental company that allows a single price to be set for the use of a car in a period of one or more days.
3. Insurance
Before using the vehicle, you must check it for previous damage. If so, report it immediately and before use to avoid penalties. You should bear in mind that, in the event of an accident, you may have to face a deductible of 500 dollars.
Finally, it should be noted that in order to reserve or open the rental vehicle, you will need to have a smartphone with a battery, otherwise, you will not be able to access it.
How do you know whether or not it is convenient for you to use this service?
During this article, we have presented the pros and cons of hiring car sharing, but if you are still not clear about the option that interests you the most, then we will clear your doubts:
The car sharing is not for you
- When you want to travel long distances. The pricing per minutes makes betting on this transport unnecessarily increase your bill to go on vacation.
- If you need a vehicle for 24 hours or more, even if you are not going to travel a long distance, it is better to opt for a traditional rental.
- Do you need a specific car? Car sharing companies usually have the same vehicle model. This means that if, for example, you need a car for a move, you opt again for a company that can offer you a wide variety of vehicles that better suit your tastes or circumstances.
This service is for you
- If you have a last-minute unforeseen event and you need immediate transport for a couple of hours, this may be your solution.
- For a short trip with many stops, car sharing is an option. Use it to go shopping, some errands or some errands in the city center.
- If you need to make short trips around the city, it may be your solution. As a professional freelancer, you can use it to visit clients in various parts of the city.
Environmental pollution is one of the problems that most affect and concern today’s society, therefore, using car sharing in large cities is becoming a priority to improve the quality of life, as it helps to combat pollution. For this, the companies that are in charge of offering this service put at your disposal different collection points, and they considerably facilitate its use.
In general, most users see car sharing as more positive than negative. It is comfortable, cheap, and fast. However, it is important to read the fine print before hiring the service.
Digital Bash 