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Re:Member – Car Rentals vs. Carsharing

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Re:Member is a series of helpful tips and reminders for current and future Peg City Car Co-op members.

This month’s topic: Car Rentals vs. Carsharing!

One question we get all the time from people who are interested in carsharing is: What is the difference between carsharing and renting a car?

The main difference between what we offer and what a car rental service offers is that carsharing is an ongoing option. Instead of filling out paperwork, buying insurance and picking up keys every time you want to use a car, members pick up a personal key fob one time, and … that’s it! Bookings are made online and vehicles can be accessed at any time of day.

Let’s Talk Money

Car rental companies will often charge a lot more for bigger vehicles, but with Peg City, the price between a hatchbacks, or a large and loadable vehicle like a minivan or cargo can is only $2 more a day. Members choose the price plan that will work best for them, and away they go.

Our hourly and per kilometre rates (we cover the cost of fuel) are some of the cheapest in the country, as far as carsharing goes! At our size, we can’t be competitive with all rates at all times, but more often than not our multi-day bookings stack up well against the big car rental companies.

Insurance coverage is as simple as joining our Damage Pool: it’s $50/year, and every driver on your Peg City account is covered in the event of an at-fault incident. (Check out our recent post about damages for more info.)

Flexibility

Carshare members can pick up and drop off vehicles whenever it works best for them. Bookings are a minimum of one hour, and after that, time can be added in fifteen minute increments. For example, instead having to rent a truck for a full 24 hours, carsharing gives drivers the flexibility to book for only the hours they actually need it. Just like a car rental, you can also book our cars for multiple days and take them out of town!

Special Features 

Our members are often surprised (and delighted!) to learn that we swap our tires twice a year – once in the Spring, and again in the Fall – so that every vehicle in our fleet is outfitted with winter tires. We know they make a huge difference in the wintertime, and it’s a point of pride for us to make sure our members feel safe on the road. We also add other accessories to our vehicles, including roof racks, bike racks, trailer hitches and provincial park passes.

Awesome! I’m Still Going to Rent a Car, Though.

Sometimes a rental IS the best option, and that’s okay! Carsharing aims to fill a gap in transportation, not replace it as the only means of getting around. Our members receive a 15% discount on regular rentals with UDrive Winnipeg, for those times when renting a car just make more sense.

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