BLOG

Comparing FIX vs FLO Prices: Understand the Difference and Get the Best Rates!

Share

FLO cars have been on the streets for a few weeks now, and we’ve been hearing a lot of positive feedback from members on the convenience and ease of using FLO.

As we head into the hottest and busiest time of the year for carsharing, we wanted to take a moment to break down the kinds of trips where FLO is best. It’s also helpful to compare FIX vs FLO prices across different kinds of trips so you can access the best rate no matter the trip.

Looking at the above rate chart, FLO prices appear more expensive than FIX ones, but depending on the trip, FLO can actually be the cheaper option. It’s also important to note that FIX price matching is included for FLO bookings on the Member Plus plan. More on that below.

A map displaying the FLO Zone, FLO cars, FLO Drop-Off Points, and FIX stations

FLO Prices for Quick Trips

FLO is the obvious choice for A to B trips inside the FLO Zone. FIX has a minimum booking time of an hour, but FLO trips have no minimum time requirement. If you only need to drive a few kilometres in fifteen minutes, a FLO trip would run you roughly five dollars, while a FIX trip would cost closer to ten (and you’d have to return the car to the same place you picked it up). If you frequently make quick trips, purchasing a FLO Pass will save you even more!

FIX vs FLO Prices for Long Trips

We can see from the trip calculator that FLO day trips are often cheaper than FIX ones. And on the Member Plus plan, FLO bookings are price-matched to FIX. That makes FLO an excellent fit for a weekend trip to Minneapolis or a day at the beach!

And as summer heats up and FIX cars book up, FLO cars can be an excellent option for spending a few days in Riding Mountain or at the cabin. While these bookings may cost you a few dollars more than a FIX trip, if you’re on the Member Plus plan, you’ll benefit from price-matching on these bookings. THat makes FLO a great alternative when you begin booking your weekend and can’t find a FIX!

Remember, you’re welcome to drive wherever you need during a FLO booking. All Peg City vehicles can be driven throughout Canada and the United States. You only need to pay attention to the FLO Zone and FLO Drop-Off Points when you begin or conclude your FLO booking.

A Few Final Reminders

When you make travel plans, please remember that all FLO cars are hatchbacks or hybrid sedans. While the back seats are easy to maneuver, and these cars can haul quite a lot, FIX is still there when you need a minivan, SUV, truck, or cargo van. FIX vehicles also have unique features like bike racks, car seats, and park passes!

Whether you book FIX or FLO, make sure you grab the vehicle keys from the key-card holder in the glove box. Even when the car’s a push start, those keys will allow you to lock and unlock the doors throughout your booking. It’s also essential to take the keys to avoid locking yourself out of the car and ending your trip accidentally. All Peg City vehicles have a safety mechanism that locks the doors when the keys are in the key-card holder, and the ignition is off for three minutes. This doesn’t happen when you’ve taken the keys from the glove box, so be sure to grab those keys!

BLOG

Peg City Fast Facts: Save more

Share

Learn how to save more when you carshare with Peg City Car Co-op.

Friends talking near Peg City Car Co-op vehicle

Owning vs carsharing

According to the Canadian Automobile Association’s Annual Driving Costs Report, the average cost of owning and operating a vehicle in Canada is $8,000 each year. To calculate the costs of owning your vehicle, use CAA’s driving cost calculator:

On average, our members spend about $1,200 a year on carsharing.

All usage rates cover gas, insurance, parking and maintenance. We worry about winter tires and inevitable repairs or replacements.

Walk. Bike. Bus.

The majority of Peg City members use carsharing in place of owning a car. Living a car-free lifestyle often means walking, biking, and busing to limit vehicle use and save money. 

As more people shift to active and alternate transportation methods, fewer cars are needed. This study found that carsharing can take 9 to 13 vehicles off the road for each carsharing vehicle in the fleet.

walk bike bus
Peg City Car Co-op Van with family

The right fit: memberships

We offer a variety of Membership options for individuals and businesses alike. Ensuring you have the right membership for your driving needs can make a big difference on your monthly invoice!

Pro tip: if you are a Member and you think you will make over 15 hrs in bookings throughout the month, you can save money by switching to Member+ to take advantage of our lowest hourly rates!

If you are a shareholding member, you can switch between the Member and Member Plus plans each month to ensure you are on the plan that fits your carsharing needs.

Member perks

Our co-op members can access perks like the ambassador program, our Shop Local driving credit stamp cards, roaming agreements, and other perks to save money! Check out our partners and perks

loading plants into a Peg City Truck
Free overnight hours

Free overnight hours

Shareholding members have access to free overnight hours between midnight and 7 am! Night owls and early birds alike, rejoice!

BLOG

Peg City Fast Facts: Membership

Share

Read these five fast facts about the perks of becoming a shareholding member of Peg City Car Co-op!

Member waiting near Peg City Car

Pay a few ways

Becoming a member of the co-op means simplifying your lifestyle. Members can book cars whenever they need them and receive a single monthly invoice.

Our Member plans offer flexible payment options, including credit card, etransfer, electronic bill payment (if you are a credit union member) and cheque.

Switch between plans

When you purchase a member share, you can switch between Member and Member Plus plans any month you choose. Take advantage of the right rates for you.

Coupe walking toward Peg City Car in a parking lot
Parents and newborn standing near Peg City Car

Add drivers

Each member can add up to four additional drivers to their account. This means you can share the driving with a spouse, partner, and even the kids (this little one’s got about 18 years to wait). Drivers do not need to live in the same residence to share an account.

Bookings for all drivers are added to a single monthly bill.

Have your say

Engage your democratic member rights! Your member shares entitle you to attend our Annual General Meeting to voice and vote for new board members or become one yourself!

loading plants into a Peg City Truck
Friends talking near Peg City Car Co-op vehicle

Roam

Heading out of town but still hoping to carshare when you get there? Peg City Car Co-op has roaming agreements with carsharing companies like HOURCAR in Minneapolis and Communauto across Canada.

BLOG

Damage Awareness Month: Reporting

Share

This week we are tackling the importance of reporting damage. This topic is so critical to carsharing we made a snazzy comic for your viewing pleasure! Enjoy.

We are nearly wrapping up Damage Awareness Month here on our blog, and we’ve created a pair of comics to address a topic that is decidedly not so fun.

We hope that sharing helpful winter driving tips, laying out the different insurance options, and outlining how we track vehicle damage, members will feel informed and ready to help keep our entire fleet in the best shape possible. If a car gets bumped, scraped, dinged, or worse, we need to know about it. The sooner we are able to assess and repair damage, the sooner we can get that vehicle back on the road! We happily take on the hassle and cost of vehicle maintenance and repair so that those who choose to go car-free or car-lite don’t have to worry about it.

When damage goes unreported – and unclaimed – it means we have to pay out of pocket, and ultimately that means higher rates for our members. With help from our members, we can stay on top of repairs AND keep costs low for everyone.  So on that note here is a comic on Damage Reporting.

Enjoy!

Damage Reporting Comic
BLOG

Damage Awareness Month: Prevention

Share

For the month of October, we have been exploring the topic of damage. The next two posts feature a pair of comics that we hope will entertain and inform! First up: Damage Prevention.

Damage Prevention Comic

Carshare vehicles tend to take a bit more of a beating than your average car, truck, or van. This is because there are different people behind the wheel every day, sometimes every few hours, and they all have different driving habits. Some people are experts with parking in small spots, while others may have less experience driving large vehicles. We encourage defensive driving, staying alert and aware of all your surroundings, and always taking the weather and road conditions into account – this is hands down the best way to prevent damage from happening in the first place.

When damage occurs, minimizing the amount of time that a vehicle is taken out of service is always at the top of our minds, but preventing the damage from happening in the first place is something we can all have a hand in. Without further ado, here is comic number one … Damage Prevention.

Enjoy!

DamagePrevention
BLOG

Damage Awareness Month: Insurance

Share

For the month of October, 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).

Damage Awareness Month: Insurance

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!

BLOG

October is Damage Awareness Month

Share

For the month of October, we will be talking about all-things damage here on the blog. 

Jenny

We need to work with our members to keep our vehicles in the best shape possible, and as we move into the cold weather months, it’s the perfect time to talk about reporting – and preventing – damage. This month, we will be highlighting how prevention keeps carsharing costs low, special vehicle features to help you stay safe and warm, plus winter driving tips, and more.

From October to March, Winnipeg sees a lot of snow, coupled with quick thaws and deep freezes. Our roads take a beating during our winters, but our vehicles don’t have to! Driving fast and accelerating unnecessarily increases fuel and maintenance costs. Factor in those icy roads, it also increases your chances of a collision, and more collisions lead to higher premiums, which unfortunately means higher costs for members.

Here are a few excellent reminders and tips for winter driving, shared by Manitoba Public Insurance:

• Stay sharp – be a defensive driver. Beware of icy spots – bridges, overpasses, just before intersections and shady spots. Watch for other drivers who may be sliding. Slow down near vehicles stopped by the side of the road.

• Prepare for severe conditions. Check road and weather conditions. Avoid driving altogether in severe weather.

Remember, when inclement weather makes driving downright impossible or dangerous, we will cancel your booking at no cost!

• See and be seen. Before leaving, clear snow and ice off your vehicle and wait for foggy windows to clear up. Turn headlights on during heavy snow or sleet. On sunny days, use the visor and/or polarized sunglasses. Advance cautiously at snowbanks.

• Drive smoothly. Accelerate, brake and make turns gradually, gently. Brake sooner.

• Keep plenty of following distance between you and the vehicle ahead. In ideal conditions, leave four seconds on city streets and six seconds on highways. In winter, leave considerably more.

We take care of outfitting every car, van and truck in the fleet with winter tires, ice scrapers, windshield washer fluid, and snow brushes. If the vehicle you’ve booked has a backup camera, remember to give the camera lens a wipe at the start of your booking to clear away dirt and debris.

Keep an eye out for our next blog post, all about how we keep track of damage and the role our members play. Stay tuned!

BLOG

Where to go: Grand Beach

Share

Since COVID 19 began, we have not been able to travel. However, now that restrictions have been lifted, we have decided to have our first camping experience in Manitoba!

– Submitted by Gennaro Costantino, Co-op Member

(more…)
BLOG

Re:Member – Peg City works with developers!

Share

As a carsharing company, everyone knows us for, well, our carsharing service, but few people realize that we also work with the city’s planning department and developers to facilitate in-fill development! That’s right, your locally owned carsharing co-op is also helping to build a denser, more sustainable city!

Peg City’s Managing Director Philip Mikulec discusses how carsharing supports the development of in-fill housing in Winnipeg’s urban core!

(more…)
BLOG

Where to go: The Honkey-Tonk Chalet

Share

Join members Colby and Mandalyn on an off-road adventure to the Honkey-Tonk Chalet and Stephenfield Provincial Park.

Despite having almost no social interactions within the last two months, my partner Mandalyn and I decided it was time to get away from it all and spend an impromptu long weekend-for-two at a friends cabin-in-the-woods.

Kinetic molecular theory

Kinetic molecular theory: letting off steam.

At the heart of this journey was a need for a natural space that offered minimal distraction and enhanced focus for personal projects. For Mandlyn, this involved studying for a chemistry course needed for their Midwifery program at the University of Manitoba. For me, the goal was to tinker with a new set of camera lenses and expand my photography and videography practice.

So we booked car 51, loaded up the dual bike racks, filled our cooler with fresh veggies from our Fireweed Food Co-op CSA and headed off to the Honkey-Tonk Chalet: an off-grid, 400 square foot a-frame cabin just outside of Roseisle, Manitoba. This cosy abode features no running water, no electricity, a humanure composting toilet and impeccable lighting.

Hyundai Kona

All Wheel Drive: Hyundai Kona

The Hyundai Kona is everything I want in an adventure car. The back seats fold down for transporting gear and coolers; pre-installed provincial park pass; dual bike racks on the roof for style points; bluetooth connection for broadway singalongs; two USB charging ports to minimize conflict; and last but not least: all wheel drive!

You see, the Honkey-Tonk Chalet is located off of a dirt road, through a farmers field, down a steep-muddy valley, along a meandering ATV trail, and rests upon stilts just above an old creek. Sure, we had to clear a couple of fallen poplars off the path from storms-gone-by, but once we popped into AWD the Kona tackled this treacherous terrain with the grace of a feral mongoose.

Honkey-Tonk Heaven

Honkey-Tonk Heaven

The Chalet is the perfect space to declutter the mind. There is no cell signal sending us constant reminders, no powered screens to keep us blue-lit until 1 am.

Forest-filtered sunlight fills the full-sized front windows during the day, while candlelight brightens up what’s left before bed. We spent the mornings chatting over fresh coffee while nibbling on fruit for breakfast. Each afternoon included photography, revising chemistry notes and the horrid skrelching of my amateur cornet skills.

Sure, there was also no flushing toilet, which for some may be a deal-breaker, but our sewer backed up two hours after we got home from this trip, so even the composting bucket-toilet felt like a luxury.

Lunch Break

Lunch Break

Armed with a cast-iron pan, loads of snacks and a love of sandwiches, we nipped and nibbled our way through the weekend. We brought a big bag full of cherries, a loaf of crusty sourdough, some spicey sausages, a bit of bacon, and a bag of potatoes. We also brought milk: milk was a bad choice, but it was nice for the first day or so in our coffee.

It was nice to wake up with the sun and have the time to let your body call the shots:

“Coffee please, ooh and a slice of cucumber”, or “Are you thinking about a sandwich? Because I am.”

And when the heat of the day insisted, we made our daily trip to the beach.

Beach Day and Bike Trails

Beach Day and Bike Trails

In the heat of the afternoon, we would mosey on down to Stephenfield Provincial Park to soak up some rays. Just 15 minutes from the HTC, Stephenfield features a short stretch of beach, yurt rentals, camping, walking and a network of walking and bike trails. Aside from the Sunday, where entry into the park was free, the beach was largely unoccupied. We rolled up with picnic blankets and snacks galore, ready for a day of vigorous study.

In all honesty, we did more drying off in the sun than rigorous study, but that is to be expected given the gorgeous weather we had all weekend.

Bringing it all home

Bringing it all home

Wrapping things up, I’d like to break down why I enjoy using Peg City Car Co-op for trips like this.

First, I have no interest in paying for the full cost of owning a car. Specifically, I mean the cost of maintenance, insurance, cleaning, up-fitting, parking, financing, fueling etc., that would be necessary to access a vehicle of this calibre.

I live centrally and bike most places, so I only need this type of vehicle for 2-3 trips per year. The cost of our trip to the Honkey-Tonk Chalte, in total, was less than a single month of vehicle insurance. So given that Peg City also covers the cost of purchasing and installing bike racks, park passes, cleaning and fuel for the trip, I’m already saving hundreds of dollars.

Looking at the big picture, last year I spent about $1,750 on carsharing in total, as opposed to the $6,000-$9,000 that the average Canadian pays annually to own and operate a compact private automobile. That’s big money. That’s like three years of savings, and you have a down payment on a house, kind of money.

Carsharing with Peg City is a breeze. I can book the vehicle I need when I need it. All I have to do is make sure the car is clean and fueled up for the next person and drop it off back in its spot. Done.

wpChatIcon