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Drive Away the Winter Woes with a Mutli-day Booking!

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Winter is coming… so head out of town with multi-day bookings and long distance trips!

If you’re looking to get out of the city for the afternoon, a day, or an entire weekend, we’ve the wheels to get you there!

Our fleet is primed and ready to meet all your winter activity needs! We’re pleased to offer vehicles with roof racks, heated seats and steering wheels. Plus, all our vehicles are outfitted with winter tires, unlike rental car companies!  You also gain access to provincial parks with a 2019 Discovery Pass (valid through April 2020), discounts on bookings with Falcon Trails Resort and Wilderness Supply, and you can save 15% on your vehicle booking by selecting a vehicle featured in our Holiday Seat Sale.

Our Members benefit from free hours between midnight + 7AM, as well as a daily rate cap of 8 hours. That means you can make a booking for 8 hours or longer, and you only pay for 8. Full Members pay a maximum hourly rate of $40/day, and Member+ drivers pay just $24/day!

Planning a longer drive? Our per kilometer rate drops from $0.38/km to $0.19 after the first 50 kilometers driven.

Members can switch anytime between the Member and the Member+ plans, depending on their personal driving needs. If you drive more in the summer for trips to the cabin, or camping out of town, you can jump to the Member+ plan to take advantage of lower hourly rates!

Try using our Trip Calculator to find the rate that fits your needs.

What are you waiting for? Book your winter getaway today with Peg City Car Coop!

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Where to go: From Ontario to Chicago (and a few spots in between)

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For many, carsharing is a way to run errands and get around the city when walking, biking and busing isn’t practical. This is our bread and butter, but carsharing can be also used to hit the road and explore! That’s why we’ve created a feature post called “Where To Go”, where staff and members explore Manitoba (and beyond). 

Stifle your envy – this road trips sounds AMAZING. Here’s the story from our Operations Manager, Philip:

Working for Peg City means long hours, being attached to my phone and always being ready to deal with any issues so that members have the best experience possible. That’s why when I go on vacation I do my best to unplug and relax.

I really love a good road trip. A good road trips allow you to slow down, spend time with friends and find interesting pit stops on the way. There’s something so hurried about flying, and you miss all the fun in between. Not to mention that flying comes with a massive carbon foot print.  The choice to not fly is made even easier when you consider how much there is to explore in Canada and the US.

That’s why this year I decided to hit the road with a Co-op car! Over the span of a few weeks we were able to unwind in Rushing River Provincial Park, enjoy the rugged beauty of Woodland Caribou Provincial Park, head down to the Chicago, and even ride some roller coasters!

There are so many beautiful places to canoe in Canada, and most of the best paddling country is right in our backyard. Travel a few hundred kilometers from Winnipeg, down a couple rugged gravel roads and you’ll find the most pristine paddling country anywhere in the world. Having access to our trucks allowed us to traverse back-country roads that a regular car wouldn’t be able to hack.

Some of the highlights of our canoe trip:

  • The pure silence and serenity
  • Seeing bears
  • Eating campfire bannock with loads of butter
  • Pristine lakes

We spent more then a week in the bear-filled back woods, and then we headed back to Winnipeg (we actually did see two bears!). After a day of cleaning up we hit the road again. This time heading to Chicago, Illinois and Sandusky, Ohio.

We traded the truck for a Peg City car with bike racks, which meant once we were in Chicago, my friend and I were able to hop around anywhere with the comfort of our own bikes. It made it so much easier to get around, which was great, considering how much ground we had to cover. The biking was great too, with amazing shoreline bike paths.

Our favourite moments in Chicago included:

  • Going to Al Capone’s blues bar
  • The food (especially the pizza)
  • Miles of water front bike paths
  • The Garfield Conservatory
  • Exploring Chicago School architecture

From Chicago we hit the road again – this time heading to Sandusky, Ohio, where we spent a few days riding some of the most intense roller coasters found anywhere on the planet. We’re talking about zero to 100 in seconds, 300 foot drops and all the spine twisting fun you can imagine. One of the craziest rides in the whole park sends you careening towards almost 500 feet straight up at speeds of 200 kilometers in hour and then drops you straight down.

There’s only one highlight in a roller coaster park – it’s the roller coasters!!

Sadly all good things have to come to an end, but we couldn’t have imagined a better trip than the one we planned with Peg City cars. There’s nothing like being able to have a diversity of cars with roof racks and bike racks at the drop of a hat.

We already started to plan our next road trip on our drive home. Next time you’re looking to hit the road don’t forget about Peg City Car Co-op!

If you are interested in sharing your carsharing adventures, let us know and we’d be happy to feature you on our next “Where To Go” post!

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Damage Awareness Month: Insurance

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For the month of November, we will be exploring the topic of damage here on the blog. This week we’re talking about insurance!

Our carsharing service takes the hassle out of owning a vehicle. When you’re done with your booking, simply return the vehicle and walk away! We cover the cost of fuel, maintenance, and insurance!

But what happens if a vehicle is damaged during your booking?

There are three coverage options available to members, which can help reduce or remove your damage fee. These options include our Basic Coverage, Damage Pool and third party Collision/Loss Damage Insurance options (CLDI).

Basic Coverage
All members are covered by Peg City Car Co-op with basic coverage of up to $1000 damage fee in the event of an at-fault collision and $4,800,000 Third Party Liability (TPL). This means in the event of an unfortunate incident causing at-fault damage to a Co-op vehicle during your booking, your damage fee is up to $1000. Personal Injury Protection (PIPP) coverage (bodily injury) also applies to drivers and passengers while they are occupying the vehicle in Manitoba.

If a Co-op vehicle is stolen during your booking, you could pay up to $1000, plus downtime at the regular hourly rates. Vehicle theft is easily preventable if you fob out properly – every time you stop and park – the vehicle cannot be stolen. Pretty neat, huh?

Damage Pool
Members can join Peg City’s Damage Pool for $50/year. This coverage includes all aspects of Peg City Car Co-op’s basic insurance, plus you will not be required to pay the $1000 damage fee in the event that a Co-op vehicle is damaged during your booking. Instead, the money will come out of the pool! You can apply to re-join the damage pool if you are in an at-fault incident. The Damage Pool covers all drivers on the account.

CLDI 
Many credit cards now offer Collision/Loss Damage Insurance (CLDI) that includes carsharing. In the event of a collision, Peg City will provide all the necessary documents for to you to bring to your credit card provider, and they will reimburse you directly for the total cost of the damages. With VISA or MasterCard CLDI coverage, you would be fully covered by the credit card company for any damage to a Co-op vehicle. Your card may not cover certain vehicles (for example, pick-up trucks), so always check with your provider to find out what their restrictions are!

If you’re already a driver with Peg City, adding the Damage Pool or CLDI to your account is easy – simply log in, and click on Damage Coverage, found under the My Account tab. For more details take a look at our Member Manual.

Of course, we hope that there is never any reason to invoke your carsharing insurance, but we want to make sure our members know what their options are. If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch!

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Good Read: Car Co-op grows memberships, expands fleet

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We’re in the news again, talking about our exciting plans for the future!

Here’s an excerpt from the Winnipeg Free Press article:

“Up to 20 more cars will be rolling down Winnipeg streets within the next year, but that doesn’t mean there will be more traffic.

Peg City Car Co-op, the city’s ever-popular car-sharing service, is planning to expand its vehicle fleet by as much as 50 per cent by the end of 2020, adding hatchbacks, SUVs, trucks, and a large cargo van option to serve its growing membership: it’s the cooperative’s most ambitious expansion yet.

But the car-sharing system doesn’t add to gridlock, says Philip Mikulec, Peg City’s operations manager. In fact, he says, though it might seem counterintuitive, each vehicle in the fleet represents 13 to 15 sets of wheels taken off the road in the city, freeing up space, reducing emissions, and limiting the financial burdens of car ownership.

Car-sharing gives users the option of only paying for vehicles when they need one, and the Peg City model allows users to pick it up from designated spots across the city, returning it once they’re done for another user to drive.

Each vehicle in the fleet represents 13 to 15 sets of wheels taken off the road in the city, freeing up space, reducing emissions, and limiting the financial burdens of car ownership, says Philip Mikulec, Peg City's operations manager. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)
Each vehicle in the fleet represents 13 to 15 sets of wheels taken off the road in the city, freeing up space, reducing emissions, and limiting the financial burdens of car ownership, says Philip Mikulec, Peg City’s operations manager. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press)

Just under a decade ago, the idea of car-sharing was still a nascent one: when the car co-op started in 2011, it did so with only a few members and three cars, says Mikulec. Now, Peg City expects 2,000 members by summer 2020, and as of 2018, there were more than 336,000 car-share members nationwide, according to Movmi, a shared mobility agency.

“It feels like we have the wind at our backs,” Mikulec said. “It’s going to be a big year for us.”

Click here to read the full article from the Winnipeg Free Press.

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Peg City Car Co-op Announces Expansion Goals

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We’re already looking ahead to the new year, and a new year means new growth.

Over the next 9-12 months our members will be part of our most ambitious expansion goals yet! 

June 24, 2011: Cutting the ribbon at the launch of Peg City Car Co-op.

A little over eight years ago, Peg City Car Co-op started with a handful of members and three cars. We didn’t know what kind of market (if any) there was for carsharing. All we could hope for, is that if we provided a well run and affordable alternative to car ownership, The People would follow! It’s taken time for the momentum to build, but we have been able to grow almost every year. 

The last couple of years has seen some of our quickest growth. In the last 24 months, we have grown from a fleet of about 20 vehicles to 40 vehicles. We have added trucks, minivans, and cargo vans to our fleet. 

We are looking to continue to build on that momentum. That’s why we we’re announcing an expansion plan of 15-20 vehicles in the next 9-12 months. That’s right – up to 20 vehicles. That will bring our fleet to 60 cars total! 

With that growth, we plan on expanding into new neighbourhoods, to be announced later. We will also be adding at least one additional vehicle (and in most cases more)  to our existing neighbourhoods. As part of our goal to add value for our members, we also plan on continuing to diversify our fleet with our first all wheel drive (AWD) vehicles, a full sized cargo van,  as well as more trucks and minivans!  

As part of our first phase of growth, we have added three new vehicles to our fleet in October, in the Downtown/Exchange District and Corydon Village neighbourhoods. 

  • 170 McDermot Avenue 
  • 190 Smith Street
  • 842 McMillan Avenue (This is a temporary spot – we will be moving to 247 Wellington Crescent after construction is completed there.)

Our current members can be part of this growth and earn driving credits by referring new members to Peg City Car Co-op, participating in our Ambassador Program on social media, and more. Contact Member Services to see how you can help more Winnipeggers get on board with carsharing.

Stay tuned as we grow like never before! 

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Where to go: Whiteshell Provincial Park

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For many, carsharing is a way to run errands and get around the city when walking, biking and busing isn’t practical. This is our bread and butter, but carsharing can be also used to hit the road and explore! That’s why we’ve created a feature post called “Where To Go”, where staff and members explore Manitoba (and beyond).

In August, one of our members, Rachel, used their Peg City membership to head out to the Whiteshell region to stay at Falcon Trails Resort. Here’s the story of their trip:

“After a long cold winter, my husband and I wanted to treat ourselves and two young sons to some cottage time in the Whiteshell. We booked a cottage at Falcon Trails Resort for a week in August and soon realized we needed a big vehicle to hold the staggering amount of stuff we needed to bring (two car seats, a travel crib, a stroller, clothes and diapers and food for a week, and more toys than we’d ever seen in one place to keep our two-year-old entertained on rainy days). Our 8-week-old son wasn’t able to hold toys yet, so at least we didn’t need to pack toys for him. 😄”

“In the past we have rented cars from traditional car rental companies for our vacations, but we always found it time consuming to go pick up the car and return it. And we found it annoying when the car we booked was not available when we went to pick it up. We didn’t have to worry about any of this when we booked the car co-op vehicle. We booked a peg city car co-op minivan for seven days for our trip and it was awesome! It held all our gear so easily and was very comfortable for all the time we spent driving. For our next family vacation we plan to use car co-op vehicle again, as it is about the same price as renting a vehicle elsewhere and way more convenient. And now that we’ve taken a family vacation with a minivan, there is no going back to squeezing all our gear into a small trunk.”

“We were able to take advantage of a new promotion: if you drive a car co-op vehicle to your Falcon Trails Resort cottage, you get 10 percent off both your vehicle bill and your cottage bill. We are on the “Members Plus” plan with the car co-op (which you can have for only a month, if you want), and with the 10 percent discount our minivan only cost us $270 including mileage and gas, after tax. We also got 10 percent off our cottage, which is a significant savings as the cottage rentals are not cheap. Falcon Trails was fantastic. We really recommend it.

Our two-year-old loved:
– hiking on the trails near the cottage
– canoeing (free for guests at the resort)
– playing on the sandy beach in front of our cottage
– roasting marshmallows on the campfire
– looking out the cottage window at the trees and lake
– eating ice cream in town (about a 20 minute drive from where we stayed)
– playing at the playground and biking on the boardwalk at the beach in town

The adults loved:
– when the two year old was happy
– relaxing in the hot-tub after bedtime
– and everything the toddler loved – because no one is too old to love ice cream, marshmallows, and nature! We can’t wait to go back next summer!”

If you are interested in sharing your carsharing adventures, let us know and we’d be happy to feature you on our next “Where To Go” post!

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Welcome Our New Fleet Manager!

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Our fleet is growing, and so is our staff.

Please join us in warmly welcoming Will Belford to our team!

Will joins us as our Fleet Manager at an important time of growth for our carshare. Will is a community minded organizer, born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He is the former Shop Manager of local bike shop Natural Cycleworks, as well as the current Director of Operations for the Rainbow Trout Music Festival. He plans community events centered around cycling (and fun). From Will: “I have a firm belief in alternative transportation, and I am excited to be working in an industry that is important to the future!”

Welcome to Peg City Car Co-op!

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Changing Seasons, Changing Rates

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Our rates are changing starting October 1, 2019.

Our members are a diverse group with diverse needs. From day one we have strived to provide flexibility, choice and cheap rates to ensure that all of our members’ needs are met. Over the last few years, we have incrementally increased our hourly and kilometre fees to ensure that we can cover all of our operating costs. Whenever we increase or change our price structure, we carefully consider our decisions and do our best to balance everyone’s needs while maintaining our commitment to affordability.

Peg City continues to maintain some of the cheapest round-trip (two-way) carsharing rates in Canada. Our daily rates in particular are some of the most competitive, and are often comparable to car rental costs when considering fuel and insurance.

Rate Changes

The most notable changes to our rate structure will be for our Casual drivers – a new reduced hourly rate (from $9 to $7), a maximum daily rate cap of $56, and the unbundling of kilometre fees ($0.38/km first 50km and $0.19 thereafter).

While Casual drivers will now pay for kilometres, they will pay less per hour, receive a maximum daily rate cap and reduced kilometre fees just like our Member plans.

We are also making incremental price increases to our Co-op Member plans. Our kilometre fees will rise from $0.36 to $0.38 for the first 50km and from $0.18 to $0.19 for kilometres thereafter. Our Member and Member Plus rates have increased by $0.15 each.

Additional Adjustments

We have made a few additional changes to our rates and fees for cancellation fees, corporate accounts, non-profit organizations, and Damage Pool. Please review our updated Member Manual and familiarize yourself with all upcoming changes to our rates and policies.

If you have any questions about the plan you’re currently on, or for future members, which plan might be the best fit for you as an individual or business, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please note: Charges are always applied using the rates in effect on the end date of a booking. If a member has a booking that ends on October 1 or later, the new rates will apply.

Thank you!

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Good Read: Pedestrian scrambles on road safety strategy to-do list

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“Pedestrian scrambles — intersections where traffic is stopped in all directions to allow people to cross any way, including diagonally — will make Winnipeg streets safer, city traffic engineers say.”

Have you used a scramble crosswalk in another city? It’s fun! And efficient! Here’s a snippet of the Winnipeg Free Press article:

“We think this will have an effect on removing the conflict between pedestrians and motorists,” David Patman, manager of transportation in the public works department, said during a committee meeting Thursday.

Traffic scrambles, used in cities with heavy foot traffic including Banff, Alta., and Toronto, is one of several measures undertaken by the City of Winnipeg as part of its road safety strategy.

Patman told the public works committee his department has short-listed a number of intersections believed to be good matches for a scramble.

The city has yet to make location details public, nor has it provided a timeline for the completion of such projects. However, Patman said short-term engineering safety projects are changes that can be made “right away.”

Click here to read the full Winnipeg Free Press article. 

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Members Help Us Grow!

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New and current members can enjoy $50 in drive time with our special September offer.

A solid recommendation from a friend about a great book or a tasty dish often means you’re more likely to give it a shot, right? We’ve found the same goes for carsharing. When our members show their friends how carsharing works for them, for their families, even for their small businesses, it helps paint a clearer picture of how it might work for them, too. We often hear from new members that they have been waiting to join Peg City Car Co-op; waiting for us to expand into their neighbourhood, waiting until they could sell their car, waiting for an sign-up incentive. Well – wait no longer!

For the month of September, we are offering current members a promo code to share with their friends and family. You’ll each receive a $50 driving credit, and the new driver will also have their $25 registration fee waived when they sign up with the promo code NEWMEM09. Simply pass this code along and have them drop your name like a celebrity when they finish up their registration.

You’ll feel like a rock star, and you’ll be helping your community carshare grow in a significant way.

Current members can refer up to two (2) new drivers through this promotion. Offer expires September 30, 2019.

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