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Peg City Fast Facts: Save more

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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!

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Peg City Fast Facts: Membership

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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.

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Damage Awareness Month: Reporting

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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
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Damage Awareness Month: Prevention

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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
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October is Damage Awareness Month

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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!

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Where to go: Grand Beach

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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

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Re:Member – Peg City works with developers!

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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!

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Where to go: The Honkey-Tonk Chalet

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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.

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2021 Board Of Directors nominees

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The call has been answered: meet the 2021 nominees for our Board of Directors!

2021 B.O.D Nominees

Hello Members!

The board will be elected during Peg City Car Co-op’s 2020 Annual General Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, May 11, 2021. Co-op members can attend the online meeting by registering here: online registration.

2021 B.O.D Nominee bios:

This year our board has two vacancies, and one incumbent Director seeking re-election.

Director seeking re-election:

Riel Moar

I joined the Peg City Car Co-op board in Spring 2019 and am currently the Treasurer. I am a CPA and have worked as an internal auditor at IG Wealth Management for the past 7 years. I originally joined the PCCC board because I connected with the organization’s purpose and felt I could contribute with my accounting experience. I have enjoyed learning more about the organization and industry and am excited to get the opportunity to continue in my current role.

Nominees seeking election: 

Natalie Copps

As a long time member of Peg City Car Co-op, and a big believer in carsharing I would love to become a part of the Board. I’m a soon to be lawyer, as of June, and would love to put my legal and organizational development skills to use for Peg City! As a Métis woman, I’d also love to bring that perspective to the Board and the work Peg City does in the community. I’d particularly be interested in serving on the governance committee.

I’m currently an articling student at TDS Law, and will officially become a lawyer on June 24th. Before articling, I clerked for Justice Dawson at the Federal Court of Appeal in Ottawa. I have a law degree, a Masters in Conflict Studies and Comparative Politics and a B.A.(Hons) in Political Science and Art History. In my past life, I was also a political staffer for the former NDP government. Outside of work, I served on the Board of Directors for Rainbow Trout Music Festival for three years as Volunteer Director where I oversaw roughly 125 volunteers who made our festival run! RTMF is a working board so I was involved with a wide variety of organizational decisions. I was also involved in several student organizations while completing my law degree. I’ve also volunteered on a variety of political campaigns for every level of government.

When I’m not running myself ragged with work and volunteering, I love gardening, beadwork, bike riding, curling, reading, and being social (though the pandemic has put a big damper on that).

Elizabeth Kessler

I love Peg City and I have a passion for living a car-light lifestyle. I have experience with governance in a membership-based organization and I’ve been looking for more opportunities to be involved in the community. I know that the work of an organization’s board is integral to the functioning of an organization as a whole, and I think my organizational skills and experience in the nonprofit world would be an asset.

I’m a professional fundraiser with six years of experience. I currently work for a large nonprofit where I’m responsible for managing donor relationships and a implementing a multi-faceted fundraising strategy. Prior to getting into fundraising I worked as a community organizer and served on the board of a large student union in Ontario for two terms. I currently volunteer with Rainbow Harmony Project — Winnipeg’s LGBTQ community choir — and with a small community church where I’m a member. In the past I’ve also volunteered with the Manitoba Energy Justice Coalition and Climate Justice Ottawa.

I’m originally from Vancouver and settled in Winnipeg seven years ago after a brief stint in Ontario. I have a degree in political science, and my interests include canoeing, hiking, cycling, sewing, gardening and amateur music. I also have a passion for accessibility for people with learning disabilities and have conducted workshops on accessibility in community organizing. As a longtime public transit enthusiast, I got my driver’s license at the age of 27 after realizing it would be necessary if I wanted to go solo camping. My favourite car in the Peg City fleet is the green Kia Soul. I live in Osborne village with my partner, a small black cat, and seven bicycles.

Thanks for reading, see you at the AGM!

Only share-holding members are eligible to sit on the board.  Nominations have closed as of May 3, 2021.

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How To: Washing Cars and Earning Credit

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Peg City is glad to reimburse members for washing cars so long as the car is cleaned inside and out with before and after photos emailed along with your receipt. We’ll also add a $10 driving credit to your account as a thank-you!

Peg City staff washing cars

Carsharing and Cleanliness

Peg City staff clean and inspect vehicles on rotation, so evidence of other drivers and outdoor conditions is a normal part of carsharing.

Depending on the season, you’ll likely notice some level of dirt and debris on the vehicle exterior and interior floor mats when driving Peg City. That said, members are expected to clean up after themselves and their pets. Let’s talk reasonable expectations.

PCCC staff cleaning interior

How Much Mess Is Too Much Mess?

If you arrive at your vehicle to find garbage left behind, interior spills, or pet hair on the upholstery, please snap photos and submit them through the Damage/Maintenance report in the Peg City app. You can also send us a quick email. We’ll follow up with previous drivers and schedule the appropriate service in a timely fashion.

Transporting pets

Guidelines for Transporting Pets

Our members rely on our service for various needs, including caring for and transporting their furry friends! Pets must travel in a carrier or on a barrier in the cargo area of the vehicle. Please respect other members by cleaning up all pet hair, paw prints or other such messes before returning your car.

peg city car coop member washing cars

Washing Cars and Earning Credit

If a vehicle’s interior becomes noticeably dirty during your booking,

1. Visit any coin-opMidtown car wash, or Chamois

2. Take before and after photos, and clean the vehicle inside and out!

3. Send us an email with the photos and receipts. We reimburse up to $25 per wash as much as twice a month. Plus, we’ll add a $10 driving credit to your account as a thank-you.

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