Eco-friendly car scheme launches in Auckland

Cityhop, New Zealand’s first car share company was launched today ( September 27) in Auckland central when the Prime Minister, the Rt Honourable Helen Clark swiped the car’s windscreen with a membership card to unlock the car.

Cityhop is a membership based car share modal aimed at commuters, business and inner city dwellers. Members hire cars for $12 an hour (including petrol, WOF, tyres, in fact everything) from conveniently located Auckland City car parks all over the CBD.

CityHop is a joint venture between former Auckland City Councillor, Victoria Carter and JUCY Rentals, one of New Zealand’s largest independent rental car companies.

“Cityhop is a car sharing modal intended to reduce the need for, or reliance on, individual car ownership. It is based on the same concept as a car hire company but its major differences are that it doesn’t have one depot – it has lots of parks and consumers can hire by the hour after they have become a member,” says Victoria Carter Chief Executive.

“It is a convenient and eco-friendly way of having access to a car. It supports those who live in the inner City or use public transport.

“Cityhop members (once they have completed our simple join up membership) just go on-line (or phone our operator) and reserve a car for a period of time during the day; collect it, drive and return it to the convenient carpark spot. We bill members once a month.

“Cityhop charges are very economical when compared with other modes of transport. It’s a bit like the perfect car, we handle all the details of car ownership like registration, insurance, cleaning, maintenance, even the petrol.                                                                                                          

“The idea is environmentally friendly. We use fuel efficient new Sirion cars. But the scheme has other benefits too, it encourages public transport use which means fewer cars on the road so less congestion, fewer greenhouse gas emissions, less pollutants in our air and waterways, convenience, cost efficiencies and money savings.

“One of the barriers to people using public transport according to the Auckland Regional Council,” says Carter, “is the lack of emergency transport should someone need a car after they have caught a bus or train  to town. Cityhop is that answer if you need to dash home, take a child to the Doctor or get to an unexpected appointment economically.

Concepts like Cityhop aren’t new, there are dozens in the United States with the most well-known being Flexcar and Zipcar. Lee Iacocca and the former head of Hertz bought into one of the largest car sharing companies a few years back. Streetcar in the United Kingdom began three years ago and today has over 10,000 members, 250 car and 150 spaces. In Australia, Go Get and Flexicar have received state government funding to get off the ground.
                                                                      

“Next step is to get the programme expanded amongst Auckland and operating in Wellington – with so many commuters and the Government’s desire to see carbon neutral plans for many Government departments Cityhop is  a logical part of the transport mix,” says Mrs Carter.

“After that I’d like to see the suburbs get a cityhop spot so that families can think twice about buying second and third cars. That’s how the programme has extended in other countries,” ends Mrs Carter.

Every eco-friendly car share vehicle on the road in the United States replaces 7-8 cars that’s over 22500 kgs CO2 not going into the environment.

 
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