• HOURCAR NEWS •
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HOURCAR is now accepting membership applications: Join Us!
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PRESS RELEASE: Mayor Rybak Welcomes HOURCAR to the North Loop: Celebration to feature iPod prize drawings
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Joe Zimsen
Program Manager, HOURCAR
Phone: 651.221.4462 x138
Mobile: 612.296.8560
January 25, 2007
January 25, 2007 - HOURCAR, the Twin Cities' largest car-sharing organization, has partnered with developer Schafer Richardson to locate a shared vehicle in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. The fuel-efficient 2007 Toyota Yaris is parked at a hub on the corner of North 4th Street and 6th Avenue North, making it convenient to residents and workers in the Warehouse District as well as the North Loop.
The HOURCAR Toyota Yaris will be displayed at an unveiling on February 6, 2007, at 10:30 a.m. at the North Loop HOURCAR hub. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, city council member Lisa Goodman, and Schafer Richardson Principal Kit Richardson will share their reasons for supporting HOURCAR's expansion.
To celebrate HOURCAR's new hub, organizers will give away two iPods. The first will be given away to a lucky attendee at the unveiling, and the second will be awarded in a drawing among new HOURCAR joiners from February 6 through the 13th.
Schafer Richardson is committed to promoting livable urban environments and is building resources to meet that goal. The company's involvement with HOURCAR allows them to furnish transportation alternatives for residents of Schafer Richardson projects and others in the neighborhood.
Schafer Richardson Project Manager, David Frank, has already joined HOURCAR, and drives the Yaris for business and personal errands. "I was a car-sharing user in Portland, Oregon, and when our firm learned that HOURCAR would be launching in Minneapolis, I knew that we had to get involved. HOURCAR is just a great amenity for the neighborhoods where we build."
"People move into the city for the convenient lifestyle," said Schafer Richardson Principal Kit Richardson. "Our downtown residents can walk to work, walk to shopping or entertainment, or hop a bus just about anywhere. The new multimodal station at 5th & 5th, across from the new Twins Stadium and just blocks from the HOURCAR hub, will make still more transportation options accessible to the neighborhood. With this kind of access to services, people don't need to own cars to drive every day. HOURCAR makes occasional car use convenient, affordable, and actually fun-and our firm wants to help make that happen."
The Toyota Yaris features the highest rated conventional gas engine for fuel efficiency, and can go 40 miles on one gallon of gas. In addition, Toyota has reduced the greenhouse gas emissions on the Yaris to an industry-leading output (only 5 tons of carbon dioxide per year) for its class.
About HOURCAR
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC). HOURCAR has 16 cars in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, including Downtown, Uptown, Loring Park, the Wedge neighborhood, Northeast Minneapolis, the West Bank, Downtown Saint Paul, and the Macalester-Groveland and Saint Anthony Park neighborhoods.
HOURCAR members make self-service reservations online or by phone, pick up an HOURCAR at a nearby hub, run errands, return the car to its reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information and members are billed monthly.
HOURCAR members choose from a variety of rate plans to meet their needs. There is no annual fee and all plans include gasoline, insurance, and maintenance.
Visit www.HOURCAR.org for rate plans, hub locations, and to sign up. Join February 6-13 to be entered to win a brand new iPod.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Connection, whose mission is to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of life by offering tools for energy-efficient living. Information at www.TheNEC.org
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PRESS RELEASE: HOURCAR Announces new hub location at Augsburg College
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mary Morse
Executive Director, Neighborhood Energy Connection
Phone: 651.221.4462 x139
Mobile: 651.308.2685
December 1, 2006
December 1, 2006 - HOURCAR is pleased to announce the grand opening of its newest hub location: Augsburg College!
"HOURCAR is thrilled to partner with Augsburg College to provide car-sharing service to this vibrant campus community," says Mary Morse of HOURCAR. Located in the heart of Augsburg's campus on Riverside Avenue, the newest HOURCAR location is accessible to students, faculty, and staff at Augsburg, to Fairview University Hospital, and to the University of Minnesota's West Bank, as well as nearby residents.
HOURCAR serves the Twin Cities with its fleet of Toyota Priuses, gas-electric hybrids which regularly garner over 47 miles to the gallon and produce relatively few emissions. Studies have shown that the use of shared cars decreases greenhouse gas emissions, as more trips are shifted to transit, biking, and walking.
Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow said, "By sponsoring an HOURCAR, Augsburg is offering the community an environmentally-friendly way to get around. Augsburg wants to facilitate car-pooling, transit use, and other 'green' commuting choices on campus, as well as among our neighbors. Instead of driving their own cars, they can use the HOURCAR for workday errands."
HOURCAR has fifteen locations. In Minneapolis, HOURCARs can be found in Uptown, Loring Park, the Wedge neighborhood, the Warehouse District, Northeast Minneapolis, and Stevens Square. Locations in Saint Paul include Lowertown, Saint Anthony Park, Macalester-Groveland, and Selby-Dale.
Members make self-service reservations online or by phone, pick up an HOURCAR at a nearby hub, run errands and attend appointments, return the car to the same reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. The process is simple and convenient - there are no lines to wait in, and no paperwork to fill out. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information and members are billed monthly. The costs for gas, insurance, and parking are all included.
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PRESS RELEASE: HOURCAR to Unveil Minnesota’s First 100 MPG, Wind-Powered, Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle at the Minnesota State Fair
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mary Morse
Phone: 651.221.4462 x139
Mobile: 651.308.2685
August 21, 2006
HOURCAR to Unveil Minnesota’s First 100 MPG, Wind-Powered, Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle at the Minnesota State Fair
The race to improve vehicle fuel efficiency has taken a new turn now that a Saint Paul nonprofit has put a plug-in hybrid car on the road. HOURCAR, the Twin Cities’ fast-growing car-sharing program, has converted a Toyota Prius hybrid to get more mileage from electricity—extending its fuel efficiency to more than 100 miles per gallon.
The HOURCAR plug-in hybrid (PHEV) will be displayed at the Minnesota State Fair’s Eco Experience, in the Progress Center Building at the corner of Cosgrove Street and Randall Avenue from Thursday, August 24 through Monday, September 4, 2006.
It takes only four to five hours to fully charge the car’s plug-in battery from a standard 120V outlet. Each charge powers about 30 miles of travel. When the charge runs low, the car’s hybrid gas-electric motor takes over and provides more quiet, low-emissions driving.
After the Fair, the plug-in HOURCAR will be put into service at the Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op on the corner of Selby Avenue and Dale Street in Saint Paul. Mississippi Market has committed to purchasing enough “green power” from Xcel Energy to offset any coal-burning pollution generated from bringing electricity to the car’s outlet. The green power purchase will develop more wind power in the state.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC). NEC Board member Jeffrey Stites, a Minneapolis attorney, sees a pollution-free future in the new HOURCAR PHEV.
&qout; This car proves that technology exists today that can slash our dependence on fossil fuels and the pollution they create,” said Stites. “There will soon be no excuse to burn gasoline to get around town. Once plug-in systems are commercialized—and that should be our top priority in the face of global warming and oil instability— prices will come way down and gas guzzlers will go the way of the dinosaurs. &qout;
About HOURCAR
HOURCAR has 13 cars in Downtown Minneapolis, Uptown Minneapolis, Loring Park, the Wedge neighborhood, Northeast Minneapolis, Downtown Saint Paul, and the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood. Hubs will open soon in Summit-University, Macalester-Groveland, and Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood.
HOURCAR members make self-service reservations online or by phone, pick up an HOURCAR at a nearby hub, run errands, return the car to its reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information and members are billed monthly.
HOURCAR members choose from a variety of rate plans to meet their needs. There is no annual fee and all plans include gasoline, insurance, and maintenance.
Visit www.HOURCAR.org for rate plans, hub locations, and to sign up.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Connection, whose mission is to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of life by offering tools for energy-efficient living. Information at www.TheNEC.org
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HOURCAR Announces First Year Survey Results: Members Report Big Savings
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Saint Paul, MN – June 19, 2006 – Results are in for HOURCAR’s first year membership survey. HOURCAR members report significant savings and high satisfaction with the one-year-old car-sharing operation.
Survey highlights include:
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92% of respondents report that they are satisfied or very satisfied with their HOURCAR membership.
- 41% of respondents report that HOURCAR is saving them money.
- Of these, the average reported monthly savings was $203 per month.
- Members plan to use their savings for everyday expenses or investing for the future.
- HOURCAR members are using HOURCAR vehicles to run errands, shop, attend to family obligations, and for business.
The survey results reflect findings that are common among other car-sharing programs, as well. Car-sharing can cut household or business transportation costs when substituted for a privately-owned car. Members realize savings because they share the costs of gas, insurance, and parking with other members.
HOURCAR members will be celebrating the first birthday of the program with cake and ice cream on Tuesday, June 20th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM in Minneapolis’ Loring Park. In the spirit of ‘sharing’, HOURCAR has been collecting non-perishable food items for donation to Second Harvest Heartland. The birthday celebration will feature a ‘stuffing’ of an HOURCAR with all of the donated goods, and HOURCAR staff will be on hand to answer questions about the program.
HOURCAR has grown rapidly in its first year, with more than 200 members and 13 cars in service.
About HOURCAR Car-sharing
Car-sharing is a convenient alternative to owning a car. HOURCAR members make self-service reservations online or by phone, pick up a car at any neighborhood hub, return the car to the same reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. The process is simple and convenient – there are no lines to wait in, and no paperwork to fill out. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information and members are billed monthly.
All of the cars in the HOURCAR fleet are Toyota Priuses, gas-electric hybrids which regularly garner over 50 miles to the gallon and produce relatively few emissions. Car-sharing is convenient for members, good for the environment, and saves money.
Members may join today for only $50, and HOURCAR throws in $25 of free driving for every new member. HOURCAR offers a variety of rate plans to meet the specific needs of members. Members choose pay-as-you-go service with a Go Plan, or a monthly flat rate Smart Package.
HOURCAR members must meet basic requirements, including holding a valid driver’s license for five years. Individual, household, and business memberships are available. For information on hub locations, rates, or to join online, please visit www.HOURCAR.org.
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• PRESS RELEASE •
HOURCAR Announces 46th Street Hub
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Mary Morse
Executive Director, Neighborhood Energy Consortium
Phone: (w) 651.221.4462 x139 or (m) 651.308.2685
HOURCAR Announces New Hub Location at
46th Street Light Rail Station
March 1, 2006 - HOURCAR is pleased to announce the grand opening of its newest hub location: the Hiawatha Line’s 46th Street light rail station in Minneapolis!
The 46th Street LRT station is served by eight buslines, carrying passengers from Downtown Minneapolis, South Minneapolis, Downtown St. Paul, Highland Park in St. Paul, the Midway neighborhood, the College of St. Catherine, Hamline University, Macalester College, Falcon Heights, Roseville, Mendota Heights, and Eagan. Daily, more than 20,000 people travel to, from, or through this station. Bus and train riders can now hop off at 46th Street and hop into a brand new hybrid car!
HOURCAR, the Twin Cities’ fast-growing car-sharing program, serves the city with its fleet of new Toyota Priuses, gas-electric hybrids which regularly garner over 47 miles to the gallon and produce relatively few emissions.
HOURCAR has eleven other locations, serving Downtown Minneapolis, Uptown Minneapolis, Loring Park, the Wedge neighborhood, Northeast Minneapolis, Downtown Saint Paul, and the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood.
“The 46th Street station is a great location for HOURCAR members who use the train. It’s the midpoint of the Hiawatha line, and from 46th Street, you can get to any other train station in 12 minutes or less,” says Mary Morse, Executive Director at HOURCAR. “HOURCAR now gives transit riders a seamless way to drive affordably without the headache of car ownership.”
Members make self-service reservations online or by phone, pick up an HOURCAR at a nearby hub, run errands and attend appointments, return the car to the same reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. The process is simple and convenient there are no lines to wait in, and no paperwork to fill out. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information and members are billed monthly. The costs for gas, insurance, and parking are all included.
Drivers around the country have reported using transit more since becoming car-sharing members. Portland cites increased bicycle use and walking among car-sharers, and Philadelphia has noted that car-sharing members drive less and walk, bike, and use transit more. Research shows that the presence of car-sharing in a community reduces vehicle ownership and decreases greenhouse gas emissions, as trips are shifted to transit, biking, and walking.
HOURCAR members choose from a variety of rate plans to meet their needs. One plan costs just $5 per month, $6.95 per hour, and $.45 mile. Another plan includes 5 hours of driving and 75 miles for just $38/month. There is no annual fee.
Brian Lamb, General Manager at Metro Transit, is excited about HOURCAR. “Transit riders have an excellent opportunity with HOURCAR. Using a car when you need to, and taking transit for most of your trips makes great sense it’s convenient, saves money, and is good for the environment.”
HOURCAR will be celebrating the launch of the 46th Street hub on March 23. Watch for the celebration featuring live music, fresh coffee, and pastries from nearby neighborhood bakeries at the 46th Street LRT Station.
About HOURCAR
HOURCAR members must meet basic requirements, including holding a valid driver’s license for five years. Individual, household, and business memberships are available. For information on hub locations, rates, or to join online, please visit www.HOURCAR.org.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Consortium, whose mission is to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of life by offering tools for energy-efficient living.
XXX
(HOURCAR is spelled in all caps.)
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• PIONEER PRESS ARTICLE •
If you're not at the U, Zipcar may not be for you"
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If you're not at the U, Zipcar may not be for you
BY JULIO OJEDA-ZAPATA
Pioneer Press
Car sharing appeals to me.
I live and work in the inner city, and I drive sparingly, which makes me a prime candidate for a use-it-when-I-need-it car program with vehicles shared among dues-paying members.
Such an arrangement has to be absolutely hassle-free, though, or I want no part of it.
I was thrilled with my first foray into car sharing when I tested St. Paul-based HourCar last year. I found the outfit to be professionally run with a fleet of environment-friendly Toyota Prius hybrids that are a hoot to drive.
I loved being able to stroll into a St. Paul parking ramp, hop into a car I had reserved online, tool around in it for a few hours and then return it to its reserved spot.
My experiences with the new-to-town Zipcar last week didn't quite measure up.
This is partly because I'm not the Massachusetts-based firm's ideal Twin Cities customer. The service is largely University of Minnesota-focused, so its cars are parked in on-campus ramps. That's fine for students or professors but not particularly convenient for a nonstudent like me.
And while getting up and running with Zipcar takes much less time than with HourCar, this can lead to problems.
The nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Consortium, which runs HourCar, insists that new members sit through a detailed orientation. While I recall grumbling a bit at this, I did appreciate that I had learned HourCar's procedures backward and forward.
Not so with Zipcar. A cursory online orientation left me a bit unprepared for my first car-sharing foray Friday.
I was initially unable to find the ramp on the university's St. Paul campus, partly because Zipcar didn't give me an exact street address. Once behind the wheel, I was clueless about how to get out of the ramp because I didn't know the access-and-exit card was behind the sun visor (a ramp worker clued me in).
The rest of my excursion went better. I enjoyed the St. Paul campus' zippy Toyota Matrix, but I was disappointed I couldn't use its fancier Honda Element it had to be pulled from service due to electrical problems. I like that Zipcar gives its cars catchy names Matrix Minnetonka and Element Estelle, in this case.
The Matrix was perfect for two hours of St. Paul errands running, including stops for groceries, bulky pet supplies and other purchases that nestled nicely in the wagon's rear. I also met two friends for Vietnamese pho on University Avenue, which would have been a pain to pull off using public transportation.
When I was unable to return the Matrix at the designated time, I popped back onto the Zipcar Web site to reserve the car for a few more hours. The HourCar reservation site works in much the same way.
Cabbing it back to the Pioneer Press after dropping off the Matrix on Friday afternoon, I realized I wouldn't use Zipcar again unless it broadened its car-hub network to include nonuniversity locations including, ideally, one or more in downtown St. Paul.
HourCar, as it happens, offers two downtown locations. And, given a choice between a gasoline-only vehicle and a gas/electric hybrid, I'll always go for the eco-friendly option.
Yep, HourCar would get my business.
Julio Ojeda-Zapata can be reached at jojeda_AT_pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5467. For more personal technology on the Web or via RSS, go to TwinCities.com and click "Business," then "Personal Tech."
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• PRESS RELEASE •
Lander Group is First Twin Cities Company to
Offer HOURCAR to Employees
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Mary Morse
Executive Director, Neighborhood Energy Consortium
Phone: (w) (651) 221-4462 x139 or (m) (651) 308-2685
OR
Wren Aigaki-Lander
Marketing Director, Lander Group
Phone: (612) 827-4494
Lander Group is First Twin Cities Company to offer HOURCAR to Employees
Saint Paul, MN October 24, 2005 Local real estate developer Lander Group this week became the first business to join HOURCAR, the Twin Cities’ growing car-sharing organization.
Lander Group has an HOURCAR parked near its office for use by employees for driving to business meetings and running errands during the workday. Employees make self-service reservations online, then get in the car, drive to appointments, return the car to the same reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information, and business members are billed with detailed invoices listing department or project travel. HOURCAR pays for gas, insurance, and maintenance. Car-sharing can significantly cut business transportation costs when substituted for a leased company car or fleet management.
In addition to saving dollars on the company transportation budget, HOURCAR is also a unique way for area businesses to support employees who commute to work by transit. Employees can use HOURCARs by the hour to attend meetings or run work errands, eliminating the need to drive their own cars to work. An HOURCAR business membership shrinks the number of cars on the road, the amount of gas used, and also eases the need to provide employee parking at the workplace.
Mary Morse, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Energy Consortium says “Lander is making a smart business decision and their employees are going to love HOURCAR! Lander Group is leading the way for other businesses to provide car-sharing as a sensible solution.”
Lander Group’s participation in the HOURCAR program is the latest initiative in the company’s on-going commitment to environmentally friendly business practices. The developer has been in discussions with HOURCAR about providing cars at future residential and commercial developments. “We apply green principles in a way that makes sense for our buyers and we’re pleased to support other businesses that are doing this,” said Lander Group President Michael Lander. “We think HOURCAR is a fantastic service for the Twin Cities, especially as the discussion around transit-oriented development continues, and as people are transitioning their lifestyles toward more pedestrian-friendly living. HOURCAR addresses the need for a car without the need for car ownership. Our employees are thrilled to use the service.”
Lander Group Development Management Associate Ben Kerl says, “I am looking forward to using the HOURCAR during the business day to get to meetings and other events. Many of my coworkers are planning to use the HOURCAR for their business errands. It’ll make it easier for us to take the bus to work, or even bike.”
HOURCAR has business partnerships with other organizations, including Lanier Parking Systems, Park Midway Bank, Penn Cycle, Calhoun Square, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
All of the cars in the HOURCAR fleet are Toyota Priuses, gas-electric hybrids which regularly garner over 50 miles to the gallon and produce relatively few emissions. Car-sharing is convenient for members, good for the environment, and saves money.
HOURCAR members must meet basic requirements, including holding a valid driver’s license for five years. Individual, household, and business memberships are available. For information on hub locations, rates, or to join online, please visit www.HOURCAR.org. More information on the Lander Group can be found at www.landergroup.com.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Consortium, whose mission is to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of life by offering tools for energy-efficient living.
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• PRESS RELEASE •
HOURCAR Announces Major Service Expansion
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Mary Morse
Executive Director, Neighborhood Energy Consortium
Phone: (651) 221-4462 x139 or cell (651) 308-2685
Fax: (651) 221-9831
With Gas Prices Skyrocketing, HOURCAR Slashes Application Fees
Saint Paul, MN September 28th, 2005 New joiners of HOURCAR are enjoying reduced application fees beginning today. The cost of a new HOURCAR membership is only $50, a significant price reduction from the previous $150 fee. Additionally, all new members receive an automatic $25 driving credit for the remainder of the year. There’s never been a better time to join HOURCAR.
Car-sharing is a smart, affordable alternative to car ownership. The American Automobile Association estimates that the cost of owning and operating a new passenger vehicle is $8410 per year. With HOURCAR’s all-inclusive payment plans, members can drive new Toyota Priuses for as little as $38 per month, including gasoline, insurance, parking, and maintenance.
HOURCAR currently has 11 cars in 9 Minneapolis and Saint Paul locations, including:
• Loring Municipal Parking Ramp: Nicollet Avenue S. & W. Grant Street
• Calhoun Square Parking Ramp: Girard Avenue S. & W. 31st Street
• YWCA Hub: Hennepin Avenue S. & W. 28th Street
• Minneapolis Depot Hub: Washington Ave S. & S. 5th Avenue
• Stevens Square / Loring Heights Hub: Groveland Avenue & LaSalle Avenue
• Northeast Riverfront Hub: Hennepin Avenue E. & NE 2nd Street
• Block 19 Parking Ramp: Jackson Street & E. 7th Street
• TPT Hub at Lowertown Ramp: Jackson Street & E. 4th Street
• St. Anthony Park Hub: Doswell Ave & Como Ave
“With gasoline prices skyrocketing, there’s never been a better time to join HOURCAR,” says Kurt Fischer of HOURCAR. “We’ve reduced the HOURCAR application fee to encourage more people to see how car-sharing can be a convenient and low-cost alternative to car ownership.”
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Consortium, whose mission is to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of life by offering tools for energy efficient living. To join online, please visit www.HOURCAR.org.
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• PRESS RELEASE •
HOURCAR Announces Major Service Expansion
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For more information:
Mary Morse
Executive Director, Neighborhood Energy Consortium
Phone: (651) 221-4462 x139
Fax: (651) 221-9831
HOURCAR Announces Major Service Expansion
Saint Paul, MN August 3rd, 2005 HOURCAR, the Twin Cities’ recently-launched car-sharing service, announced a major service expansion today. Three new hub locations are being added to HOURCAR’s existing service area. Members will now be served in the Saint Anthony Park/University of Minnesota Saint Paul Campus neighborhood, at the YWCA in Uptown, and in Minneapolis’ Mill District, near the Milwaukee Railroad Depot.
These locations are in addition to HOURCAR’s existing hubs 4th St. and Jackson St. and 7th St. and Jackson in St. Paul, and at Calhoun Square and Loring Park in Minneapolis. “These neighborhoods have a number of factors in common that make them great for car-sharing all of them have numerous residents living nearby who only need cars occasionally,” says Kurt Fischer, HOURCAR program manager.
Car-sharing is a convenient alternative to owning a car. Members make self-service reservations online or by phone, pick up the car at their neighborhood hub, return the car to the same reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. The process is simple and convenient there are no lines to wait in, and no paperwork to fill out. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information, and members are billed monthly. HOURCAR pays for gas, insurance, and parking. Car-sharing can cut a household or business’ transportation costs when substituted for a privately-owned car.
In addition to serving residents who only need cars occasionally, HOURCAR is also a cost-effective alternative for area businesses that are considering leasing a company car or that want to support employees who’d like to commute by transit. Employees can use HOURCARs by the hour to attend meetings or run work errands.
Specific locations for the new cars are:
- Gateway Ramp | Minneapolis
Between 4th and 5th Aves. S. and Washington Ave. S.
- Park Midway Bank | Saint Paul
Como Avenue and Doswell Avenue, Saint Paul
- Uptown YWCA | Minneapolis
Hennepin Avenue and 28th Street
All of the cars in the HOURCAR fleet are Toyota Priuses, gas-electric hybrids which regularly garner over 50 miles to the gallon and produce relatively few emissions. Car-sharing is convenient for members, good for the environment, and saves money.
HOURCAR members must meet basic requirements, including holding a valid driver’s license for five years. Individual, household, and business memberships are available. For information on hub locations, rates, or to join online, please visit www.HOURCAR.org.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Consortium, whose mission is to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of life by offering tools for energy-efficient living.
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• PRESS RELEASE •
HOURCAR is a Click Away from University’s Saint Paul Campus
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For more information:
Mary Morse
Executive Director, Neighborhood Energy Consortium
Phone: (651) 221-4462 x139
Fax: (651) 221-9831
HOURCAR is a Click Away from University’s Saint Paul Campus
Saint Paul, MN July 22nd, 2005 HOURCAR, the Twin Cities’ recently-launched car-sharing service, announced its 5th hub location today, with service to begin in early August. In addition to existing locations in the two downtowns and Uptown in Minneapolis, the Saint Anthony Park/University of Minnesota Saint Paul Campus neighborhood will soon have its very own HOURCAR.
“We’re delighted to begin serving the Saint Paul campus community and the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood with a car-sharing hub. This neighborhood has huge potential for car-sharing, with lots of students and residents living nearby who only need cars occasionally,” says Kurt Fischer, HOURCAR program manager. “They’re ready to get their hands on a Prius for running errands and getting around town efficiently. This will work particularly well for students, staff, and faculty near campus who can use transit for a large portion of their transportation needs. By replacing their own cars with car-sharing, they can save quite a bit of money.”
Car-sharing, a new transportation option for Twin Cities residents, allows people who infrequently need cars to reserve and use cars by the hour. Members make self-service reservations online or by phone, pick up the car at their neighborhood hub, return the car to the same reserved parking space, lock it up, and walk away. The process is simple and convenient. Cars have on-board computers to record trip information, and members are billed monthly. HOURCAR pays for gas, insurance, and parking. Car-sharing can create significant savings on a household’s transportation costs, when it replaces a first or even second privately-owned car.
The car, a 2005 Toyota Prius, will be located at the Park Midway Bank drive-through location at Como and Doswell Avenues. The hub is an easy walk from the Saint Paul Campus, is convenient to transit serving both downtowns and the University’s East Bank, and is surrounded by the services of downtown Saint Anthony Park. Park Midway Bank is sponsoring the hub by providing parking space as a community service. Richard Beeson, president of Park Midway Bank, says that the bank, “Is proud to be the first business hub sponsor for HOURCAR, bringing affordable, environmentally-sound transportation to the neighborhood we call home".
All of the cars in the HOURCAR fleet are Toyota Priuses, gas-electric hybrids which regularly garner over 50 miles to the gallon and produce relatively few emissions. Car-sharing is convenient for members, good for the environment, and saves money.
HOURCAR members must meet basic requirements, including holding a valid driver’s license for five years. Individual, household, and business memberships are available. For information on hub locations, rates, or to join online, please visit www.HOURCAR.org.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Consortium, whose mission is to reduce pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of life by offering tools for energy-efficient living.
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• STAR TRIBUNE ARTICLE •
Transit: A new twist on getting around
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The full article, with any associated images and links can be viewed here
Transit: A new twist on getting around
Tom Horgen, Star Tribune
Sue Richardson has had her heart broken too many times.
By her car.
The St. Paul resident spent almost $14,000 fixing her 1997 Volkswagen Jetta before an accident in April totaled the car and ended their relationship.
"I pretty much decided to live without a car after that," Richardson, 49, said.
But the bus and her bicycle can't get her everywhere she needs to go. So Richardson turned to HOURCAR, the Twin Cities' first car-sharing service. The concept, popular in Europe and growing rapidly in the United States, was developed for people who need a car only a couple times a week for short trips.
On Saturday, Richardson rode her bicycle from her sewing store on West 7th Street to HOURCAR's downtown St. Paul hub. There she placed her bike into the trunk of a sleek metallic bronze Toyota Prius, took a couple minutes to familiarize herself with the hybrid's sci-fi interior and zoomed off to run some errands.
Richardson is one of 30 members who have signed onto the car-sharing revolution that made its way to the Twin Cities this month. There are more than a dozen car-sharing programs across the country, some serving thousands of people in larger cities.
HOURCAR will provide Twin Cities residents with a transit alternative that gives commuters freedom but still takes cars off the road. Executive director Mary Morse said after HOURCAR revs up -- she expects to have 450 members by next spring -- one car will take more than 20 vehicles off the road.
"We're coming from the perspective that we want people to bike more, we want them to walk more, we want them to use transit more," Morse said. "We don't really think cars are that great. We want to ease people away from cars and move toward mass transit. But we did find a really great car. And if we were going to do this we wanted to use the cleanest car for the environment that was available."
Growing in California
HOURCAR had been preparing for its launch since 2002, gathering money -- it has received about $350,000 in government and private funding -- and talking with other car-sharing outfits. Its program was patterned after California's successful City CarShare service, which started with 12 vehicles and 200 members in 2001 and has ballooned to 100 vehicles to serve 4,500 members.
Elizabeth Sullivan, the founder of City CarShare, called such services "a really sensible solution that doesn't give anybody a guilt trip."
HOURCAR's recent debut couldn't have come at a better time, according to Dave Brook, who founded car-sharing in the United States. The program will ride a wave of national car-sharing interest that is rapidly moving into the public's consciousness, he said.
"It's likely that this summer is going to be a milestone because the two largest commercial car-sharing companies are probably going to announce that they are both profitable," he said. "That will attract new investment opportunities for them and legitimize the whole industry."
In a metro area where people own more cars and spend more on transportation than almost any other area, many Twin Cities transit activists say car sharing is just another piece of the movement toward mass transit.
"For way too long people in this region have had too few choices," said Barb Thoman, program director for St. Paul's Transit for Livable Communities.
As for Richardson, her first day out didn't go as planned. She drove from downtown St. Paul to Woodbury to pick up a client at a group home where she works part time. But her client wasn't there, so Richardson drove back to the HOURCAR hub. But she wasn't that disappointed
"It was fun just to go out and try the car," Richardson said. "I was really impressed. It feels like it's my own car. And I know I'm going be driving it some more."
Tom Horgen is at thorgen@startribune.com.
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• PRESS RELEASE •
Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines: Car-Sharing Begins!
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Saint Paul, MN June 24th, 2005
HOURCAR, the Twin Cities’ first car-sharing organization, has launched its fleet of Toyota Priuses onto the streets of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. HOURCAR members are reserving sleek new shared cars by the hour to run errands and zip around town.
Car-sharing is an innovative transportation solution for people who only need cars occasionally. An HOURCAR member makes a reservation online, walks to his or her neighborhood hub, drives the car away, and returns it by the end of the reservation. HOURCARs are equipped with onboard computers that record the time and distance that a member drives, and he or she is billed at the end of the month. The member’s fees include the cost of gas and insurance, and can add up to big savings compared to the costs of car ownership.
“A car-sharing service is exactly the kind of transportation alternative that this community has needed for awhile,” says Dave Van Hattum of 494 Commuter Services. “Car-sharing helps to improve air quality, eases traffic congestion, saves money, and adds convenience to people’s lives. It’s really filling an important gap for people without cars.”
One of the most exciting aspects of HOURCAR is the fleet - HOURCAR members drive 2005 Toyota Priuses, gas-electric hybrid cars with excellent gas mileage and very low emissions. Saint Paul Mayor Randy Kelly counts HOURCAR among the many urban amenities which make Saint Paul a livable city. “HOURCAR is a great addition to the downtown area. Folks living in our new apartments and lofts can share a car with their neighbors- it’s a huge plus if you live and work in the downtown area.”
HOURCAR members drive the stylish Toyota Prius, and take advantage of the convenient online reservation system. New HOURCAR member Michele Quaranto reports, “I went online and reserved a car to get to a job interview. The car was waiting for me when I got there it was so easy. I just unlocked it and drove away.”
All HOURCAR applicants are screened for a clean driving history, agree to a set of member rules, and attend a new member orientation where they learn all of the basics of sharing cars. Individual, Household, and Business memberships are available.
Come examine the HOURCAR vehicles (all 2005 Toyota Prius hybrids), check out the on-board reservations and security technologies, and discuss program goals and fleet expansion plans with program officials, members, and other supporters.
• Meet the Fleet! •
What: Press Conference & Celebration
When: Friday, June 24, 2005; 11 a.m.
Where: Como Lakeside Pavilion Parking Lot, 1360 N. Lexington Parkway, Saint Paul. (Located on East side of Lexington Parkway in Como Park)
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For more information on HOURCAR hub locations, member qualifications, or to join online, please visit www.HOURCAR.org.
HOURCAR is a program of the nonprofit Neighborhood Energy Consortium, whose mission is to reduces pollution, conserve resources, and improve quality of live by offering tools for energy-efficient living.
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• PRESS •
Pioneer Press Article
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Posted on Thu, Jun. 23, 2005
'HourCar' gets rolling
Car-sharing program featuring hybrid vehicles debuts
BY PRATIK JOSHI
Pioneer Press
Michele Quaranto says she has solved more than just her need to get around in a car. The St. Paul woman who took her first ride Wednesday using the Twin Cities' new carsharing program feels like she is improving the environment and building a community as well.
Quaranto checked out a new Toyota Prius, a hybrid gasoline-electric car, to go to a job interview and visit some friends.
"It's great," she said after her maiden ride. "It feels like I can own a car for few hours without worrying about maintenance."
The ride is smooth, too, she added. "It's zippier than I thought."
Called HourCar and started this week by the Neighborhood Energy Consortium, a St. Paul nonprofit organization, the program is modeled after a car-sharing program in San Francisco. It offers the benefits of a car without the hassle and expense of ownership, said Mary Morse, the organization's executive director.
Members pay a fee to join and then reserve times to use one of the six cars available.
Quaranto, a native of Long Island, N.Y., who now lives in St. Anthony Park, had looked for such a program since she sold her car in August 2001. For years she relied on her motorcycle, bicycle and public transportation to move around. Quaranto, who works as a temporary paralegal, says the availability of a car at short notice will be a great help, especially on a rainy day or to go to areas not served by a public transportation.
She says the program suits her frugal lifestyle.
"I like to not have too much debt," said Quaranto, who considers personal cars a luxury.
Quaranto pays $20 a month plus charges based on time and mileage. She plans to use the hybrid car for about 15 to 20 hours a month and figures it's cheaper than renting.
Donna Dunn, a Lowertown resident and another member of the HourCar program, decided not to buy a second car. She and her partner share a car, and she plans to use the HourCar service when both need a car.
She enrolled at a different level from Quaranto, paying only $5 a month but incurring higher mileage and time charges, because she thinks she'll use the car less than 10 hours a month.
Last week, Dunn went through an orientation and got her personalized key fob to gain access to the cars. She plans to go out for a spin in the hybrid car over the weekend.
Users can make reservations by phone or online and can reserve vehicles as late as a half-hour before travel time, Morse said.
Members pick up a car at one of three locations Lowertown in downtown St. Paul, Uptown in Minneapolis and downtown Minneapolis and have to return it to the same place.
An onboard computer tracks time and mileage, and members are billed at the end of the month, Morse said.
The program pays for insurance and maintenance, Morse said.
So far, six cars are in service, and 30 drivers have joined.
A launch celebration, dubbed "Meet the Fleet," will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Como Park Pavilion, 1360 Lexington Parkway in St. Paul.
FYI
You can sign up for the HourCar program after paying $150. You choose from one of two types of memberships. Those enrolled in the $20-a-month plan pay $4.95 an hour plus 39 cents a mile while those in the $5-a-month plan pay $6.95 an hour and 45 cents a mile.
Members can reserve the cars by phone or online on a first-come, first-served basis. They can check out cars from these Twin Cities locations: Lowertown in downtown St. Paul, Uptown in Minneapolis and downtown Minneapolis.
Members who need a car for longer durations get discounts from Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
For more information, visit www.hourcar.org.
Pratik Joshi can be reached at pjoshi@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5509.
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• PRESS RELEASE •
HOURCAR Announces Hub Locations in the Twin Cities
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information:
Mary Morse
Executive Director, Neighborhood Energy Consortium
Phone: (651)221-4462 x139
Fax: (651) 221-9831
HOURCAR Announces Hub Locations in the Twin Cities
Saint Paul, MN February 22, 2005 Residents living and working in Uptown, Loring Park, and Lowertown will soon be able to reserve cars by the hour with HOURCAR. “We’re very excited to bring car-sharing to the Twin Cities in Uptown, Loring Park, and Lowertown. These locations have a number of features that make them excellent for car-sharing dense housing, mixed use development, good pedestrian culture, and some parking scarcity,” says Kurt Fischer, HOURCAR Program Coordinator, “The first HOURCAR hubs will be convenient for both neighborhood residents and downtown businesses.”
Car-sharing, a growing trend in the U.S., will make its Twin Cities debut this spring. Car-sharing members reserve cars by the hour from their local “hub” and are billed monthly. Some car-sharing members give up their own car, and others continue to live without owning a car, but with added convenience. Businesses use the service in place of company cars or mileage reimbursements employees can check out HOURCARs to get to meetings or run work errands during the day. Car-sharing can save members thousands of dollars annually compared to the cost of car ownership.
In Minneapolis' Uptown neighborhood, HOURCAR is partnering with Calhoun Square, and two stalls in the Calhoun Square parking ramp will be reserved exclusively for HOURCARs.
With assistance from the City of Minneapolis, HOURCAR will serve Loring Park residents and businesses through a 2-car hub at the Loring Municipal Parking Ramp at Nicollet Avenue and Grant Street.
In Saint Paul, HOURCAR will serve Lowertown residents and downtown businesses through two hubs. With help from the City, one HOURCAR will be stationed in the Block 19 Ramp at 7th & Jackson and one in the Lowertown Ramp at 4th & Jackson.
The cars at all four locations are brand new, 2005 Toyota Priuses. These hybrid cars allow HOURCAR members to get around in comfort and style, while economizing on gas and producing very few air pollutants.
HOURCAR's fleet will expand steadily over the summer, doubling in size to twelve new cars by August. For more information on HOURCAR hubs in Uptown, Loring Park, and Lowertown, please visit www.HOURCAR.org.
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