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Carsharing Q&A: Family of four

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Curious about how carsharing might fit into your families lifestyle? Wondering how you can live car free in Winnipeg and still get the kiddos to school in the morning?

This Q&A series highlights the experiences of members that carshare as a family. We get a lot of questions about how carsharing works in general, but these folks get full-on stopped in the streets with questions like, “how do you manage the car seats?” and “what’s the deal with your car?

Today we are chatting with Karen and Jason, who have two little ones. They have been with us since 2013 and live within the Osborne area, which is host to 7 of our cars.  They were already experienced carsharing members when they started their family and today they are going to share some stories about that transition.

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To start, give us an idea of your carsharing story. Have you ever owned a car?

K: I used to own a car a long time ago…

J: I used to have a truck, but drove it through the ice of Lake Manitoba…

– Go on…

I was driving across the lake at night near Steep Rock and suddenly the white ice went dark. I just couldn’t stop in time. I slid right into the lake. I was able to roll down the window and get out by climbing onto the roof of the truck and jumping off the back onto the ice… As I was running home across the frozen lake I realized… my skates were in the trunk, I should have grabbed them and just skated home!  *queue Canada Heritage Minutes voice-over*

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Why did you choose to join Peg City Car Co-op? Did you find the transition to carsharing easy?

J: I think it was 2013 when we joined. Karen had a car that we used together, but it was at the end of its life, so instead of replacing it, we decided to go without a car all together. At the time I was in school at U of M, and now I work at the University, so public transportation was the perfect thing to get there. The real questions was, “how does Karen get to work?”

K: I was working at Woodanchor!  I would carpool with my colleague Kellen in winter, and in summer I would bus to the university where I had stashed a bike. I would just hop off the bus and bike the rest of the way down Kings Drive from there. It worked perfectly, and such a good way to start the day and end the day. And it was a beautiful bike ride.

K: With the car co-op, I never felt like we were “without a vehicle”. It sort of gave us enough time to figure out how to bike, bus, and walk around the city, and still have a car for the times we needed. Like visiting your parents in the suburbs or getting groceries, things like that.

– Starting a family is a big change, how did carsharing fit into that transition? What are some of the questions folks around you ask you when you tell them you carshare instead of owning a vehicle? 

K: Our family members were definitely saying things like, “so your getting a car now, right?” and  “what happens when you go into labour and you don’t have a vehicle?!” Well I’m not driving myself when I’m in labour anyways! We have lots of friends in the area and people always want to drive friends to the hospital.

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K: We also hear things like, “what would you do if your child was choking?!” Well, what would you do? Do first aid and call an ambulance! People have this idea that we are stranded, but really, I’ve never felt like that.

J: Exactly, there’s just too many other options anyways. There’s just never been a situation, which makes us critically re-frame our decision about not owning our own car.

– So what are some factors that frame your decision? What would you say to someone who is thinking about carsharing as a family? What kind of tips do you have?  

Be mindful: 

​J: Be critical of where you live, yes in relation to the cars but also other types of transportation.  You have to really think about planning your trips and what you’ll use for each one.

K: It’s an opportunity to be outside with your family more! We are walking and biking places together all the time.

J: It can help you slow down. I think that is the biggest thing we noticed during our time with the car co-op. When you have access to a personal vehicle, it’s almost too easy to just keep going and going because you just get up and use it whenever you want. With the Co-op cars, you have to be slow and methodical with what you are doing, where you are going, and why you are going there.

Price it out!

K: Just crunch the numbers and figure out what your vehicle is costing you! People probably think “well its just gas and insurance”. But you forget how much you spend on financing, parking, repairs and maintenance!

J: Plus again, when you always have access to a car you end up using it more than you need, and it costs you more.

K: Exactly, if we were to take out a lease on a vehicle, we know that we are automatically spending at least $xxx.xx every month, and would feel like we need to use the car enough or we are wasting money. With Peg City, if we are tight on cash one month, we just go less places. We have flexibility.

Second Vehicle

K: It can also be really useful for families who are thinking of getting a second vehicle. Instead of doubling down on the cost of owning a second vehicle, you only pay for one when you use it.

We’re really excited about how we can accommodate families as we grow, and curious to know what are some of the challenges 

J: Is it a slight inconvenience to carry a car-seat from you home to the car.  That was the hardest thing. If it’s just one of us, we would have to take the car-seat, the stroller and Frye to the car at the same time.

K: When they are younger the strollers have a clip-in feature and turn into a car-seat. But as they get bigger that’s not really as easy.

J: Again its planning, I mean if there was a child seat in the car it would almost be easier …

Did you know that Peg City is starting a child seat pilot program?

​K: That’s so helpful! It sounds great, even if it means just loading up one less car-seat. I CAN DO 1! Two with two kids… well. This would make things much easier.

J: Also, in terms of you average user, I’m sure they aren’t loading up 4 people in the car every time. So it wouldn’t even really get in the way for others.

– Before we let you go, do you have anything else you want to add or talk about? 

​J: There are so many other benefits to joining the co-op! One being the Manitoba Community Enterprise Development Tax Credit. Last year we invested some of our tax return in the co-op and the this credit gives you 60% back of whatever you invest that year, no matter what! (It wont be deducted from your return, even if you end up owing the province money) It is a pretty awesome way to invest in Peg City!

K: Also, Frye loves the synonym car. He’s always saying,

“We got the cool car!!”

K: Carsharing is also a way to teach our kids about the idea of sharing in general. We are a part of something with other people, and that a nice lesson to teach them. We don’t share enough in this world.

J: It also helps if Frye is kicking the back of the seat! We just explain that making a mess in our shared car is not acceptable for other people as well.

K: Its also a good reminder for me too, because I would definitely make a mess in my own car…

Are you curious about how carsharing can work for your Family? Send us your questions on Facebook, Instagram, or send us an email at [email protected]. You just might see you question featured in the next Q&A feature!

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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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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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Good Read: Take my keys, please

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“More Winnipeggers are forgoing their cars, creating new attitudes and business opportunities.” Read on!

Thank you to Jen Zoratti at the Winnipeg Free Press for chatting with us about how we fit into the transportation conversation in Winnipeg.

Peg City Co-op operations manager Philip Mikulec says two reasons people join the car-sharing co-op is for environmental and financial reasons. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press)
Peg City Co-op operations manager Philip Mikulec says two reasons people join the car-sharing co-op is for environmental and financial reasons. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press)

Here’s an excerpt:

“In the past 12 months, we’ve seen a growth in our fleet and membership of 30 per cent, and we’re continuing that trajectory,” says Philip Mikulec, operations manager at Peg City Co-op.

“Besides the laudable environmental goals, people who are joining car-sharing are largely doing it for economic reasons. This speaks to the change in the way people use our service and the kind of demand we’re seeing in our fleet. As we mature, we’re seeing more and more people joining because I think they see the economic benefits to themselves of not owning a car and having a reliable service they can use.”

So who uses car-sharing? At first, Peg City’s membership base was mostly the early adopters, or “avid non-car owners.” As the idea of a car co-op has become more accepted and mainstream, that base has widened to include people from a wide cross-section of socio-economic backgrounds. Based on Peg City’s data, the co-op’s core membership is made up of young, highly educated professionals who live in six-figure households. They tend to live and work either downtown or in the Exchange District. “They’d rather not spend $300 a month on parking alone,” Mikulec says.

Car-sharing doesn’t just help reduce household budgets by lessening the financial burden of car ownership. It also helps reduce carbon footprints. Carshare vehicles tend to be newer, more efficient and better maintained. Mikulec says industry data show that for every car-share vehicle put on the road, 10 to 15 vehicles are shed.

Mikulec believes Winnipeg has the potential to become a 100 to 200-car sharing city.

Even avid drivers are coming around on the idea of car-sharing. “We’re still speaking the same language — it’s about cars,” Mikulec says.

Philip Mikulec, operations manager of Peg City Co-op, the city's only car-sharing program, which has 33 vehicles and 1,200 members. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press)
Philip Mikulec, operations manager of Peg City Co-op, the city’s only car-sharing program, which has 33 vehicles and 1,200 members. (Phil Hossack / Winnipeg Free Press)

CLICK HERE to read the full article. 

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Happy New Year!

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We had a very exciting year. Thank you to our board, staff, investors and all of our members for supporting carsharing in Winnipeg!

In 2018, we expanded our network and grew from 26 vehicles in June to 32 by December! We added a few bigger vehicles to our fleet, including a cargo van, a second truck, and a third van.

We partnered with some wonderful local groups, like Bike Valet WinnipegRainbow Trout Music Festival, and Synonym Art Consultation, to name a few. One of our cars is featured below in a custom art wrap for Synonym’s Wall to Wall mural festival. This dynamic art car will be on the road all throughout 2019 for our members to drive. An exciting opportunity came up for Peg City Car Co-op to once again offer investment shares – thanks to the Manitoba Community Enterprise Development Tax Credit Program – and we raised $200,000 to help us reach our goal of 50 vehicles by 2021. The future of carsharing in Winnipeg is looking mighty bright!

ANDREW RYAN / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Philip Mikulec is the operations manager of Peg City Co-op which has been in operation for eight years and is looking to expand it’s operations with a new public offering. Shot on June 26, 2018.

For our Members, we added more perks and benefits, like opportunities to earn driving credits, and even free concert tickets from our friends at the West End Cultural Centre. We are very excited to see what 2019 holds for us. We will be announcing the date for our Annual General Meeting soon, and we’ll be looking to add a few new faces to our board – sign up for our e-newsletter to stay in touch.

To all our Members, thank you for continuing to help us grow. If you know someone who is interested in carsharing, and you refer them to Peg City Car Co-op, you each receive a $25 driving credit. All they have to do is mention your name to us after they’ve signed up. If you’ve been thinking about joining, we would love to talk to you about it! Have a look at our map to find a car near you, browse the membership plans we offer, and then give us call. Already know the plan that would best suit you? Sign up HERE, and we’ll have you driving in no time.

All the best to you & yours in the New Year!

Peg City Car Co-op

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Peg City Car Co-op + Bike Valet Winnipeg

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Meet one of Peg City Car Co-op’s wonderful partners: Bicycle Valet Winnipeg!

(Pictured: Stephanie from Bicycle Valet Winnipeg keeping those steel horses calm!)

Bicycle Valet Winnipeg’s aim is to work with event promoters to offer a Bicycle Valet at events to reduce traffic and parking congestion and encourage Active Transportation use in Winnipeg. Having a safe place to park their “wheels” will encourage people to choose an active lifestyle and increase the use of Winnipeg’s growing Active Transportation infrastructure.

During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Bicycle Valet parked 824 bikes, trailers, and more! Peg City Car Co-op is so pleased to partner with a fabulous, free initiative like this. They will be available to park your V.I.B’s (that’s Very Important Bikes, obviously) at these summer events:

July 15th Jubilation Festival @ Saint Boniface Cathedral
July 27th Downtown Winnipeg Night Market
July 28th Folklorama Kick-Off Event @ Assiniboine Park
July 31st Moveable Feast
August 14th Moveable Feast
August 31st Downtown Winnipeg Night Market
September 7-9 ManyFest – All Together Downtown
September 29th Nuit Blanche Moveable Feast

You’re the best, Bicycle Valet Winnipeg!

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Bike Week Winnipeg 2018

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Bike Week is happening NEXT WEEK – June 18 – 24!

We will be setting up a pit stop on Monday June 18th, right by the statue of Louis Riel on Assiniboine Avenue. Stop by on your way to work between 6:30AM – 9AM for some fresh fruit and a stamp if you’re playing Ride and Go Seek – you could win a new bicycle from Bike Week Winnipeg! We’ll also be at Ciclovia at The Forks on Sunday, June 24th. Stop by and say hello!

Don’t forget: you have until June 30, 2018 to join Peg City Car Co-op as a new member, and get $75 in driving credit from us. Promo Code: BIRTHDAY75

Check out the full lineup of events over at Bike Week Winnipeg.

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Good Read: Pedestrian bridges a welcome direction

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“A new pedestrian and cycling bridge, however, proposed to span the Assiniboine River and connect the cycling infrastructure of Osborne Village and downtown, might present a new model to effectively link many of Winnipeg’s communities at a more intimate scale.” (more…)

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Good Read: City bike-share program starts small, aims to expand

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Expansion! Exciting! Have you rented one of these orange beauties yet?  

“Called Pedal in the Peg, the program – which is targeting both tourists and residents – will feature 22 bicycles rented out of five downtown locations.

“We’re trying to catch up to other major cities with our active transportation strategy. This is just one more option for visitors, but also for residents, to jump on one of these free bikes and give it a spin,” said Mayor Brian Bowman.”

Click here to read the full article. 

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Good Read: Study Finds People Tend to Overestimate How Long It Takes to Walk and Bike

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Interesting! Have you mapped out what your commute would you look like if you walked or biked to work? How long would it *really* take?

“A new study published in a journal called Transportmetrica A: Transport Science shows that people often overestimate the time required to commute actively, a miscalculation especially common when someone has secured a parking permit near the office.

The survey participants proved to be generally poor at guessing active-commuting times. About 90 percent of their estimates were too long by at least 10 minutes. The few assessments close to Google’s were almost always made by riders or walkers.”

Illustration by Giacomo Bagnara

 Click here to read the full article. 

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