>In 2008, AAA estimated that it costs $8,000 a year to own and drive a mid-size sedan. In this recessionary climate, there’s a lot of urbanites feeling the weight of car insurance, car loans and parking bills. Formerly indulgent types are now downsizing their cable packages and canceling vacations. These “New Savers” are potentially a larger market than the “sharers” that many car share providers market to by pushing the convenience message.
Sharers came into adulthood environmentally aware and comfortable with sharing music, video and the details of their daily lives on the internet. But is car sharing really that convenient? Sharing in the on-demand virtual world is one thing – scheduling your rides in advance is another.
The New Savers aren’t particularly green, anti-suburban or anti-corporate; their auto addiction is simply no longer affordable or generates an unacceptable level of anxiety. Is car sharing more convenient than owning? That’s debatable. But for city dwellers that only occasionally need a car, it’s much, much cheaper.