Helping car share get on the road
My family tries to get around as much as we can on bikes, and since most of our trips are local, that’s worked perfectly for us. But every now and again, we have errands or tasks to do that require a trunk or pickup bed, so we rent a Zipcar (or truck).
Whenever I make a reservation, though, it always takes me back. While I was working at the Bicycle Transportation Alliance back in 1997, I got a grant to study if a car sharing program might work in Portland. In the Business Planning Study (pdf) I submitted to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, we envisioned a pilot project of 20 cars used by 150 residents.
Soon enough, Dave Brook took the ball and ran with it, founding “Car Sharing Portland” in 1998, the first in the nation. Ultimately, that company merged and grew into Zipcar, with nearly 250 vehicles used by more than 11,000 residents — and that’s just here in Portland.
It’s great to think that it all started right here, as so many other good ideas have. I’m proud of the role I played in launching car-sharing, and how perfectly it aligns with the vision we all share for our region: a healthy, sustainable community that makes smart decisions about its future. That’s exactly the kind of innovative approach I intend to continue as Metro President.
In the meantime, though, my pickup-owning friends are also happy: I don’t bug them to borrow their trucks any more!