City Edge - Charter Drive brings Car Sharing to Kings Cross and Darlinghurst
Charter Drive brings Car Sharing to Kings Cross and Darlinghurst
Payments. Insurance. Services. Repairs. These words are often associated with vehicle ownership. And while making car and insurance payments and occasionally forking over large sums to your friendly neighbourhood mechanic are part and parcel of owning a car, there are ways to avoid these costs entirely and still enjoy the freedom of the road.
Impossible you say? Well, Car Sharing may be the answer to your car ownership woes.
Car Sharing is an on-demand car service that offers local residents and businesses the use of conveniently located vehicles on an hourly or daily basis, without the expense, hassle and commitment of ownership. Drivers are charged based on usage and vehicles come standard with parking, insurance and petrol.
Car Sharing is gaining international success as a result of its demonstrable economic advantages and has been proven to save thousands of dollars every year for people or businesses driving less than 12,000 kilometres per year. Car Sharing also significantly enhances the quality of life of non-car owners, by giving them access to private transport when they need it.
Charter Drive is a local business that is launching its first service in Kings Cross and Darlinghurst. Charter Drive will be offering the 3-door and the new 5-door SMART cars, from two locations initially - the Kings Cross Car Park in Ward Avenue and the Splash Car Wash in Victoria Rd, Darlinghurst. The company plans to expand its coverage in the area as well as provide its service to businesses, residents and commuters in the City.
The Charter Drive service is enabled through a hi-tech system that automates and simplifies the reservation and usage process. Cars are reserved online or by phone and access is gained by flashing the member’s card across the windshield, which unlocks the doors and activates the internally stored key. At the end of the trip, the reservation is completed by flashing the member’s card across the windshield, which automatically generates and emails a bill for the trip.
Charter Drive offers three membership packages, including a no-commitments option, which should satisfy most driver’s needs. Car usage is charged on a pay-as-you-drive basis, from as low as $5.50 per hour and $0.20 per kilometre depending on the package, which includes fuel, parking and insurance. Cars can be used for as little as 30 minutes.
Car Sharing is revving up internationally with over 300,000 members in 35 countries. In Australia, Car Sharing is gaining endorsement from Federal, State and Local Government as a significant pollution and congestion busting solution. Numerous councils in Sydney and Melbourne are providing or considering providing dedicated on-street parkings to enable operators to service their communities. The City of Sydney has approved the provision of 10 spaces to Car Sharing in a one-year trial.
Research from Europe and the USA justifies Government’s support – for every vehicle in a Car Sharing fleet, transportation planners say up to 10 cars are taken off the roads. Moreover, Car Sharing members typically drive less and more intelligently - they walk more, take the occasional bus or train and clump their errands together into one trip. Car Sharing is therefore not only the most economical private vehicle transport mode, but the most sustainable too.
Website: www.chaterdrive.com.au
Contact: (02) 9328-2245