TORONTO, ON – AutoShare and the City of Mississauga announce that the city’s first carsharing service has arrived, with self-serve cars now available 24/7 to employees and the public at the City Centre. The City of Mississauga, who green-lighted the project at Council this past March, has signed a two-year agreement to establish the City’s first Car-Share Service Pilot Project. Residents and business’ are encouraged to sign up and experience the program with no membership fee.
The City of Mississauga is committed to developing a transit-oriented city and building a vibrant, mixed-use and pedestrian friendly downtown core. The service encourages City employees, residents, and students in the downtown to reduce personal vehicle use. “We’ve been working with the City for the last year at building out this comprehensive program. Their support in establishing this service and getting our cars on the ground, has been seamless” says AutoShare President Kevin McLaughlin, “We’re very excited by how many people have already joined in the pilot – it’s great to see that the people of Mississauga are keen on carsharing.”
A city-supported car share service is one of the transportation demand management initiatives recommended in the Mississauga ‘Parking Strategy’. “Carsharing is an answer to what is commonly seen as one of the barriers to using public transit,” said Lorenzo Mele, Transportation Demand Management Coordinator, with the Transportation and Works Department “Now residents and employees have a real alternative to private automobile ownership.” Carsharing is aligned with the city’s commitment to reduce urban driving, reduce parking demand, and to offer residents and businesses with a range of transportation choices such as walking, cycling, public transit and driving a car, as outlined in the City’s Downtown21 Master Plan.
With a residential, employment and post-secondary student population of close to 55,000, the City is setting a 1% goal of 550 new member acquisition throughout the pilot. The City of Mississauga and AutoShare are holding a drop-in style public open house to provide information about the City’s first Car-Share Service Pilot Project in downtown Mississauga. Several councilors, including George Carlson, Councillor Ward 11, will be on-site Wednesday, May 16, 2012 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. The event will be taking place at Mississauga Celebration Square, The Glass Pavilion (300 City Centre Drive). For more information on AutoShare and its services offered in Mississauga, please visit AutoShare.com/Mississauga
Source: Canada Newswire / AutoShare
