If they can do it in Lawrence, Kansas...

You may (or may not) remember Lawrence from the 80's TV movie The Day After. Although the city has grown in recent decades to almost 90,000 residents, it still has the feel of small town America.

A few months ago, Hertz announced that it was expanding it's car sharing services to Downtown Lawrence. The Hertz On Demand service features four cars at the nearby University of Kansas. After a few years of operations at KU, the company moved forward with the City to place one car off campus for city residents.

We scratch our heads a little about this here at Buffalo CarShare. Certainly there's a market, or a multinational corporation like Hertz wouldn't be moving off campus, but one car? Our research shows that we define "market" a bit more broadly than the rest of the industry. We don't know Lawrence, Kansas very well, but we're guessing there are more than a handful of city residents that could really benefit from a car sharing program.

The same pattern is also emerging in larger cities like Cincinnati - Zipcar just added three hubs downtown. Cincinnati is about the size of Buffalo, and their Mayor touted the potential benefits of the service, namely to "provide access for people who would otherwise not be able to go about their day-to-day activities". We're curious to know how it's going!

This is the idea behind our Startup Symposium on Tuesday, August 6th in Niagara Falls. 
We'll be talking a bit about our model, which is aimed at serving a broad range of households in terms of income, race, and age. We'll also be comparing notes with other car sharing organizations from small and mid-sized cities, such as Ithaca CarShare in the Finger Lakes region of New York and Community CarShare in Southern Ontario.

You can find the full agenda here. Session topics include:

• Choosing a business model
• Growing your organization
• Gaining "anchor institution" and community support
• Identifying funding sources
• Developing college and university partnerships

The Symposium is aimed at communities like Rochester and Albany, among others, that are considering or working to launch car sharing operations in their cities. The Symposium is free, but space is limited, so please RSVP to j.reichert@buffalocarshare.org by Thursday, August 1st.

We'll also be giving demonstrations of our BikeShare program throughout the day. We hope you can join us!

NY-grown Social Bikes system launches quietly in Buffalo

System featuring innovative GPS-based "smart bikes" launches ahead of Manhattan's massive CitiBike network.

In early April, we opened the doors on our fledgling BikeShare network at the University at Buffalo with 25 bicycles available to students, faculty, and staff. Over the summer, the fleet will grow to a 75-bike system to be tested in a variety of urban settings, with ambitions for a larger-scale system in 2014. Starting this week, we opened membership up to all CarShare members and to employees of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. Additional locations beyond the University at Buffalo will be unveiled in the coming weeks.

The main highlight of the technology developed by NYC-based Social Bicycles is that locking, tracking, and communications functions are all embedded within the frame of the bicycle. This so-called "smart bike" technology comes at a fraction of the costs and size of more bulky kiosk-based systems.

While Buffalo might not be the first city that comes to mind for startup culture, we can claim a number of "firsts":

• First joint Car and Bicycle sharing system in the US
• First urban deployment of a kiosk-less GPS-based bikeshare system
• First major BikeShare deployment in a "Rust Belt" city

Creighton Randall, Executive Director of Buffalo CarShare explains the approach being taken "we are slowly scaling up this system and sending feedback to the Social Bicycles team. There are always some risks and challenges with innovation, but we're comfortable learning and adopting new technologies and processes in order to bring a new bikeshare system to Buffalo. And we're lucky that we have partners like the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus and University at Buffalo that value innovation and are willing to be the first to pilot this technology with us." UB is one of only a few universities in the nation with a high-tech bikeshare system, and the only one featuring smart-bike technology. "We also have a loyal membership base that is up to the task as well," continued Randall.

Another ambition of the Buffalo BikeShare system to serve a diverse population of members. The non-profit leads the car sharing industry in service to low-income residents and people of color, and much attention has been paid to public bikeshare systems' struggles with the issue of equity. For this and other reasons, Buffalo makes for a "perfect real-world laboratory" says Social Bicycles CEO Ryan Rzepecki "you have a city ripe for innovation and experimentation, a group of committed individuals with ready access to a network of users, and the right partners on board to provide seed funding". The 75-bike pilot project is made possible by a unique partnership between two New York State agencies, NYSERDA and NYSDOT, who have been funding similar research and development projects for several years. The agencies are providing $142,855 towards the project, and also provided funding for the launch of the CarShare program in 2009, which continues to grown on its own and now features 15 vehicles and 600 members.

CarShare members and BNMC employees can sign up here

Announcing ScooterShare

Buffalo CarShare announces the launch of ScooterShare

ScooterShare fleet readies for launch

Are you one of the many who longs for the breeze in your face, the occasional bug in your smile, and an excuse to buy a brightly-colored vintage helmet? Fear not, your days of waiting are over.

Buffalo CarShare (BCS) is proud to announce that we are testing a fleet of scooters, which will soon be introduced into our fleet. The scooters will not be owned by BCS, but will be lent out from neighbor-to-neighbor. This first-of-its-kind concept started thanks to a large fleet of scooters owned by Mark Legaza. A range of scooters, vespas, and other mopeds will be available.

Mark Legaza, owner of scooter armada

"I've got way more scooters than I need!" said Legaza. The surplus scooters will be made available to all current BCS members. Non-members can have access to the service for a nominal fee. They can be reserved by the minute for 10 cents per minute. According to BCS Board Chair, Todd Salansky, this will encourage members to be more efficient with their reservations. "I saw one of our beta testers straight arm an old lady in the produce section at the Co-Op to get to the checkout, so it needs to be tweaked a little bit but this is what innovation looks like, right?"


Creighton Randall, BCS Executive Director has high hopes for ScooterShare. "We actually had to refinance half the fleet to get this going, but I figure that we'll be swapping out cars with scooters in no time, so it seemed like a sound investment." Randall reports the up and coming BikeShare system will soon be entirely replaced with scooters.

Jason Wilson and Bernice Radle, the first official members

Randall invites all members to sign up today to become members. Jason Wilson and Bernice Radle, the first official beta testers of the system, have nothing but good things to say about the service. "We were super excited to hear that the bikes integrate with the BCS key fob system. Now I just see a scooter, hop on and leave it wherever. I thought at first that the owners would care where they were returned to, but I guess they just eventually make their way back. Like cats." states Bernice. "Jason even got a tattoo with the new ScooterShare logo, so our membership is free for life!"

Scooter tattoos guarantee lifetime membership

Mr. Randall confirmed the tattoo discount, and as to the feline analogy, stated "Ms. Radle brings up a great point. We thought about placing GPS units on the scooters, but it was going to get pretty expensive. Then one of our staff members brought up cats, and we were like 'problem solved!'"

Join Bernice and Jason in becoming the one of the first to try out this revolutionary peer-to-peer ScooterShare today!

CarShare celebrates the end of a strong 2010

It's hard to believe we've come this far, but we're happy to report that Buffalo CarShare is now over 300 members strong. With 10 cars and a pickup truck, we're well on our way to becoming a staple in this fair city.

Looking forward to an exciting 2011, we wanted to drop a few hints of what's to come and reflect on this year's success. We hope you'll join us at our 2nd Annual Winter Banquet tomorrow (12/17) to hear more (details at the end of this post).

Looking back at 2010:

• We were able to purchase a Ford F-150 pickup truck thanks to a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. This truck is available to non-profit organizations like the Massachusetts Avenue Project and the YWCA, which use it for everything from loading up compost to moving furniture (although not at the same time). Thanks to this grant, 12 non-profits organizations have been able to expand their good work without taking on the burden of purchasing their own truck - instead they share one.

• While we bid for rights to operate on UB North and South Campus, it wasn't in the cards. Luckily, we found a good neighbor in Canisius College, who shares our vision for a service that meets the needs of both the campus and community. To date, 15 students, faculty and staff and 11 Hamlin Park residents now utilize the car parked at Jefferson and Delavan. We hope to expand this program in the Spring.

• We also launched three more cars this summer, bringing our fleet to 11, including another Yaris, a Toyota Prius hybrid, and a Mazda 5 Minivan. Our membership has grown to over 300 in just 18 months, and we're happy to report (based on a Feb. 2010 survey) that we have arguably the most diverse member base of any car sharing organization in the nation, in terms of age, race, and income. This member base was also able to considerably reduce their environmental footprint. We're committed to a vision for affordable, community-based green transportation that works for just about everyone - see all of the hubs.

Looking ahead to 2011, we hope to do a few things:

• Expand college partnerships. While we grow to meet demand from new members, we hope to work with area colleges to become an option for students looking to minimize the cost of a college education.
• Increase services to businesses and non profits. We expect demand to continue to increase for our truck, but also see potential for downtown businesses that are exploring ways to help "green" their workforce. In addition, there are a plethora of small non-profit organizations in need of a truck or van from time to time. We hope to add these “specialty” vehicles as demand grows.
• Develop a partnership with BNMC and Green Options Buffalo, including creation of a city-wide bicycle sharing system (think Buffalo Blue Bicycle 2.0). Our vision is that CarShare and bike share could integrated into one seamless system.
• Grow our service to reflect diversity of neighborhoods in which we operate, not just diversity among our membership base. The Lower West Side, Kensington-Bailey, and North Buffalo are all neighborhoods where expansion may soon be viable.

While we may not accomplish everything on this list in the next 12 months, we will press ahead on all points. If you're looking to get involved, we're always in need of volunteers and are recruiting for spring internships. We're also seeking partners to help us expand to new neighborhoods when it gets a little warmer. Give us a ring or an email, we'd love to hear from you.

Lastly, we hope to see you at our banquet Friday night! Join us for drinks at 6pm if you can't stay for dinner.

CarShare Winter Banquet - Presented by Northtown Automotive

When: Friday (12/17)
Where: The Eights (888 Main Street)
Happy Hour: 6pm - 7:30; $3 drafts, $4 wine - donations encouraged
Dinner (really more like a feast): 7:30 - 10; $20 for members, $30 for non-members (tickets required)

Dishes will include Vegan Pad Thai, Eggplant Parmesan, Enchiladas, Roasted Turkey, and much more!

Come on by to learn more and meet our staff and members. If you'd like to stay for dinner, please reserve your ticket by calling us at 898-0850.

CarShare grows with community support

The evolution of Buffalo CarShare to has been made possible largely due to investment from both individual members and community organizations. The launch of our recent “hubs” and others have been made possible thanks to forward-thinking institutions, non-profits and local business owners. We hope that, being strengthened by this community, we can grow to become a service that is affordable and accessible to all buffalonians. Here is the story of these collaborations:

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church – Elmwood and Lafayette

Thanks to the vision of Rev. Drew Ludwig and others at the Church, residents of the Elmwood Village now have access to a hybrid Toyota Prius just down the street. The Church has contributed a parking space, and the service fits into a larger theme of breathing new life into an old structure.

Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) – Washington Street

The BNMC, a non-profit institution has continued to accommodate CarShare as it grows. The hub behind the Allen-Medical NFTA station is provided by the BNMC and now features a Ford F-150 truck and a Mazda5 minivan. The truck was donated by the Community Foundation, and serves several non-profit organizations including the Massachusetts Avenue Project, Grassroots Gardens, Buffalo ReUse, and the YWCA. Our hope is that the new minivan will be useful to these agencies as well.

Quaker Bonnet Bakery – Chenango and Rhode Island

Having already hosted one of our hubs (at their Eatery on Allen), Quaker Bonnet was happy to accommodate a second hub for us on the West Side. The bakery and restaurant, dating back to 1932, are a great example of what a local business can provide for a community.

Canisius College – Delavan and Jefferson

When approached by us this spring about hosting a CarShare hub, Canisius staff immediately took hold of the concept and recognized our potential to serve both the campus and surrounding community. Having provided us parking adjacent to the Delavan NFTA station, our hope is that this hub will be used by students, faculty, and staff as well as Hamlin Park residents and NFTA riders along the Delavan line.

Massachusetts Avenue Project – Grant St. Neighborhood Center

Having launched service at the former Grant St. library last fall, the hub really became viable this spring with the help of the Mass. Ave. Project, who uses the service to support their Mobile Market program, which brings fresh produce to neighborhoods around the city that lack access to healthy food. The Mass. Ave. Project also has utilized the truck to help build their new greenhouse.

Our growth and success is truly tied to investments like this, where community members recognize that by working with Buffalo CarShare they can stretch budgets farther, encourage healthy transportation choices, and broaden the reach of the resources we all share.

To us, every new vehicle represents an opportunity to collaborate. Our door is always open, so please reach out if you think there’s an opportunity to work together.

-- Check out our latest hub locations and vehicle additions here --

First Year Impacts Summary – Buffalo CarShare

Click here to download this report as a .pdf.

Analysis of our first annual member survey shows that our members drive an average of 300 miles less per year. (The survey, which was completed by 80 out of 144 members at the time (a 56% response rate), asked a variety of questions about usage, satisfaction with service, and member demographics. Buffalo CarShare will conduct this survey again in early 2011, at which point we expect to have between 350 and 400 members to survey.) Five (5) respondents were able to give up a car after joining, and 30 others either decided not to purchase a car or postponed purchasing a car once becoming members. These responses show we’re able to help take 11 private cars off the road for every CarShare car in our fleet. These shared cars are often far more fuel efficient that the cars they replace.

Based on membership growth, we can estimate than we’ve helped our members drive about 42,000 fewer miles than they would have without our service during the first year of our operation. This means members pumped 1900 fewer gallons of gas and avoided emitting 36,700 lbs of carbon dioxide. (Sources: Bureau of Transportation Statistics. and Energy Information Administration)

Interestingly, more members stated that they drove more after joining (23 respondents or 29%) than reported driving less after joining (19 respondents or 24%).

However, as the distribution at right shows, additional mileage of those who drove more was offset nearly 2-1 by those who drove less. On average, the former drove only 22 miles more per week, while the latter drove 51 miles less per week than before joining (on average).

Of the 23 respondents stating that they drove more, 16 had no household vehicle before joining. Anecdotally, many of our members report not having owned a vehicle for many years before joining. The potential of our service to enhance mobility is a topic of intensive study for us, so stay tuned.

Click here to download this report as a .pdf.

BCS Member Survey Results

The results from our member survey are in!
What follows are some charts and graphs that describe our members and their opinions about our service:

Member Satisfaction
	Satisfied or Very Satisfied	Dissatisfied or Very Dissatisfied
[The price]	85%	9%
[Choice of vehicles (makes/models)]	93%	6%
[Cleanliness of the vehicles]	96%	1%
[General condition of vehicles (age, miles on car)]	98%	0%
[Availability of vehicles]	91%	5%
[Location of vehicles]	86%	13%
[Making reservations online]	89%	5%
[Making reservations by phone]	78%	3%
[Contact you’ve had with us by phone]	89%	1%
[Overall, how would you rate our service?]	99%	0%

This next bar graph suggests that, of 80 responses, there are 38 less cars on the road because of BCS membership!

The following graph shows that survey respondents most commonly used the BCS service for grocery shopping.

This pie chart shows the primary reasons that people became members of Buffalo CarShare:

This is the age breakdown of our members:

The median age is 37.