Growth in Worldwide Carsharing An International Comparison

ally access vehicles by joining an organization that maintains a fleet of cars and light trucks in a network of locations (1, 2). Vehicles are most frequently deployed from lots located in neighborhoods, at transit stations, or at businesses. Carsharing members typically pay for use through hourly rates and subscription-access plans. Most carsharing operators manage their services with advanced technologies, which may include automated reservations, smart-card vehicle access, and real-time vehicle tracking (3). Today, carsharing is a truly global enterprise, operating in approximately 600 cities worldwide (4). This paper provides a global perspective of carsharing growth and developments. In mid-2006, the authors obtained survey data from 33 carsharing experts from 21 countries; 28 national experts participated, representing 15 of 18 countries where carsharing is currently operating. Four experts represented nations where carsharing is being explored, one where carsharing is in a pilot phase, and one where carsharing previously operated. Entrepreneurs in three nations investigating carsharing did not respond to the questionnaire. Regional experts estimated member and vehicle totals for Asia and Europe. The authors collected membership and fleet totals for North America and Australia from each of the existing carsharing operators in those regions in July 2006. This paper is organized in five sections. First, a historical overview of carsharing is provided, followed by a comparison of carsharing impacts, mainly from Europe and North America. Next, worldwide carsharing growth is examined. Then, a comparative analysis of carsharing operations worldwide, including similarities and differences among nations and regions, is presented. A summary of growth trends and anticipated developments concludes.