A Car-sharing Company Gets $150,000 Grant***
Environmentally friendly cars are available for daily tasks
By Julien Desrayaud (NCC News)
Mar. 25, 2009
Syracuse, N.Y. – A Syracuse business that rents cars by the hour is one of 12 organizations to win state grants for “sustainable” transportation projects that could help reduce the environmental impacts of cars and trucks.
CuseCar, a nonprofit company that started up last summer, will receive $150,000 to help market its “car sharing” service to new customers and to document the operation’s potential to reduce automobile emissions.
The money received comes from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority and State Department of Transportation. It can be spent however CuseCar wishes in order to expand.
The advantages of CuseCar:
· No longer need to own a car to do daily errands
· Do not need to maintain or pay expenses of a car
· Have an emergency situation
· Less traffic
How CuseCar works
Customers go to the designated spot where the vehicle is located, hop in and drive to their destination. Once they are done, the driver brings the car back to the origination point for the next person.
Quick Facts
Three spots are downtown by East and West Washington Streets and Erie Boulevard.
Click on this link to see a map:
http://cusecar.com/originations.htm
CuseCar customers pay an annual membership fee of up to $100 for the ability to rent one of the company’s four Prius hybrid cars for $12 an hour.
CuseCar At SUNY-ESF
The fourth starting point is on the ESF campus, which mainly serves students and professors. Michael Kelleher, Director of Renewable Energy Systems and member of the Steering Committee of CuseCar, says, “The main goal is to reduce carbon emissions. People should ride their bikes or walk, but if they need to go a long distance at least they will be able to drive a environmentally safe vehicle.”
It is important to keep in mind that 12 dollars an hour might be too costly for certain people and that renting a car could be a cheaper solution. Will four cars make a significant environmental factor? Probably not but several groups are willing to give it a try.