New CarSharing system in Ireland GoCar Local context GoCar has been established in Cork and Dublin city centres, the two largest cities in the Republic of Ireland. The former has a population of 119,000 and the latter 525,400 according to the 2011 Census. The location of the GoBases in each city are shown in the maps below and are indicated by the red dots. Cork Dublin Rationale The locations in Cork were determined in the feasibility study, which was undertaken prior to setting up GoCar there. The study included an extensive analysis of the Census data for the city centre enumeration districts in order to identify the most appropriate locations and the determining factors were also based on the experience of CarSharing systems elsewhere in Europe. The specific locations were chosen in order to be able to provide a service to both private individuals and to businesses, in particular the City Council and the University, both of which had signed up members of staff from the start. The initial locations in Dublin were chosen as a result of the experience in Cork, the analysis of Census Data and use of the Transferability Matrix. Again the need to serve both private individuals and businesses helped to identify the most appropriate locations. Subsequent locations were chosen for the same reasons but also in order to offer an alternative location near to the existing ones. This approach of clustering locations was also learned from the methods used by CarSharing operators elsewhere in Europe. In both cases, links to public transport services and, in Dublin, to Dublin Bikes the public cycle scheme were other key factors in selecting the appropriate locations. The ideal areas have a high combination of factors, such as: Higher population and jobs density
Less access to a privately-owned motor car Higher use of non-car modes to undertake regular journeys to work, school or college, and shorter journey times to these destinations Household with a lower proportion of age dependent residents Residents living in multi-occupation buildings, and who are therefore more likely to face on- and off-street parking difficulties Higher than average income and social class Higher employment rates Higher affluence, lower deprivation scores Key steps taken Cork Following on from the feasibility study for Cork City Council and the finalisation of agreements with the City Council and cambio Mobility Service, an initial 6 month action plan leading up to the commencement of the service was formulated (see below). Vehicles & operations Marketing & membership Systems - back office & finance Review of vehicle supply Finalise plans for use of GoCar Establish position of bank on use options and cambio Ireland brands of direct debit and credit cards Review of telephone Initial press release Choose vehicle control system booking facility Establish options of fuel supply account Office established in Cork Conclude arrangements for fuel supply card Conclude agreement on telephone booking facility Conclude vehicle ordering Agree design of on-vehicle stickers and place initial order Ensure parking bays (GoBases) are agreed Local staff recruited Training for local staff Secure vehicle for testing and for use as a promotional tool Install in-car systems into test vehicle Complete set up of GoBases Establish vehicle handbook design and production First vehicles located in Cork with in-car systems fitted First use of vehicles Set up holding pages for web site Announce private members and corporate members tariffs Start accepting expression of interest in membership Finalise main marketing tools (e.g. brand leaflets) Complete work on web site Direct mail shot to all residential areas close to cars Launch membership sales activity to prospects built up Seek media features to announce scheme in detail Start accepting and processing initial membership applications Commence information sessions for new members Launch event of cars parading through city centre First draft of agreement with insurer and members contract Training in Bremen for Systems Manager Conclude agreement with mobile phone company Review options of telephony for Cork and Mendes head office and for switching out of hours calls to on call staff Agree terms of insurance cover Place orders for vehicle control system Complete draft of members contract Complete agreements with bank for initial banking services Live testing of booking and billing systems Booking system goes live This action plan was then presented to a Reference Group, which was set up in Cork and comprised staff of the City Council Traffic and Planning Departments, the County Council Planning Department, the Commuter Plan Manager from the University, the regional manager for the local public bus company, the manager of the city
marketing partnership, a senior executive from a major local developer, a traffic superintendent from the police, the MD of an international ICT company and a customer. The terms of reference for the Reference Group are set out below: The Reference Group (RG) will advise GoCar (the operator) on the areas of public concern on setting up and operating a CarSharing Service in Cork City. The RG will receive and comment upon regular reports from the operator. These reports will cover planning and implementation of GoCar Cork including reporting on development milestones prior to the official start date in 2008. Once operational the RG will receive reports on membership and performance. The RG will make recommendations on the future development of Car Sharing in Cork. The agreement with Cork City Council is set out below: Operation of pilot for 3 years Block booking by City Council of 3 cars during work hours for use by staff for 3 years Free on-street spaces at agreed sites for 3 years Free office space for 3 years Promotion costs met by City Council for 3 years as part of its Integrated Sustainable Transport Strategy The agreement with cambio Mobility Service included: Common branding Training and knowledge transfer related to the software for managing and administering customer records, bookings and invoicing. Initial training in budgeting and financial controls, general conditions of use and operational workflows. System contract for the software for managing and administering customer records, bookings and invoicing. Provision of reservation call centre, following English language training of cambio staff. Subsequent to the launch of the service in Cork, the marketing plan was updated and new approaches were taken, especially the production of a short video, updated facilities on the website, setting up social media facilities including Facebook, Twitter and an Online blog. GoBase in Cork City
In order to enable the launch of GoCar in Dublin and in line with the poor performance of the service in Cork, some of the vehicles in Cork were redeployed to Dublin. Dublin Two years after commencement of the service in Cork, GoCar launched its service in Dublin. In order to establish GoCar in Dublin, a separate company was established to take over the operation of GoCar in Cork and to set up GoCar in Dublin, a new Business Plan was prepared, a new investor joined the Board of the new company and several meetings were held with key staff in Dublin City Council, the Dublin Docklands Development Authority, University College Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology and the Mater Hospital. However, on this occasion an agreement with the City Council was not possible, mainly due to the lack of national legislation defining CarSharing and thus allowing for the allocation of on street parking spaces dedicated to GoCar in Dublin. The web site was updated on a regular basis to cover the establishment of new GoBases, the redeployment of vehicles from Cork and the deployment of new vehicles. New leaflet and GoBase signage styles were developed and both include Quick Response 2 dimensional bar codes linked to the short video clip on GoCar. GoCar s first GoBase in Dublin on Pleasants Street, just off Camden Street in D8. GoCars can be hired from 4.75 per hour plus a charge per kilometre. There is a once-off joining fee of 50 per customer plus a very small monthly administrative fee of 3 per authorised driver. To add an authorised driver to an existing customer
account there is a once-off fee of 25. GoCar also offers a reduced excess on own fault damage for a fixed annual fee of 50 per authorised driver. From time to time there are promotional offers, which are advertised on the web site www.gocar.ie. Performance indicators Location Number of Customers Number of drivers Number of Trips completed Number of vehicles Number of car stations Cork 53 110 1676 8 4 Totals at 53 110 1676 8 4 31/8/2009 Cork 84 148 3510 8 4 Totals at 84 148 3510 8 4 31/8/2010 Cork 103 178 5010 4 3 Dublin 153 159 812 10 8 Totals at 30/6/2011 256 337 5822 14 11 Lessons learned A survey was made of new and existing customers of GoCar in June 2011. The responses to the survey have been used to identify the lessons learned from its operation since September 2008 in Cork and since September 2010 in Dublin. Key factors for success and possible replication elsewhere People seem to use GoCar for the following reasons in order of the number of responses: To save money & reduce hassle. Because they only occasionally need a car/van. Environmental or because GoCar is seen as interesting. Other outcomes: 90% of customers rate the equipment in GoCars as good or excellent. 85% of customers give the internal appearance and cleanliness of GoCars a good or excellent rating, and 90% of customers give the external appearance and cleanliness a good or excellent rating. 95% are happy with the servicing of GoCars rating them good or excellent. About 67% consider there to be a wide range of GoCar types, about 33% wish there to be more types, e.g. more vans and van types, also MPVs. Main barriers/obstacles and how they were overcome New concept; use of the word carsharing Increasing level of car ownership The lack of a definition of Car-Sharing within national legislation On street car parking issue Securing appropriate insurance Nature of car scrappage scheme and lack of second hand car market Lack of existing systems (service and software) already in place in Ireland Lack of staff with relevant experience in Ireland Limited access to start up finance and the financial crisis How best to promote this new concept
The key to overcoming the above obstacles was to secure relevant agreements and partnerships as well as ongoing discussions with national and local government. These are set out below: Cork City Council: Block booking of 3 cars during work hours for use by staff for 3 years Free on-street spaces at agreed sites for 3 years Free office space for 3 years Promotion costs met by City Council for 3 years as part of its Integrated Sustainable Transport Strategy cambio Mobility Services, Bremen, Germany: Use of fleet and car station management software Use of customer management & booking software Provision of customer service centre Business development advice and technical support Training in the use of the software programs Co-branding, including web site and promotional material National level: Inclusion of carsharing in Smarter Travel Policy document, including commitment to amend legislation regarding on-street parking Inclusion of definition of carsharing in primary legislation (not successful to date, though contained in Bill for 2012) Co-financing of MOMO-CS to enable Mendes to support business planning for Dublin launch and ongoing development Local level: Working with officials and elected representatives to gain support for inclusion in their plans, e.g. workplace travel plans, Smarter Travel Areas Programme. Dissemination People are primarily hearing about GoCar in the following ways, ranked in order of the number of responses: Word of mouth (mention and recommendation). Newspaper/magazine articles and deals such as City Deal. Onstreet advertising such as seeing street signage and leaflets (handed out and at GoBases). Transferability issues The key lessons learned from transferring GoCar from its Cork pilot to Dublin are related to two associated issues, both of which are legislative, and which have had financial consequences for GoCar. As CarSharing has not yet been defined in national legislation, it has not been possible to add CarSharing to the list of categories, which can be allocated on-street parking spaces in the same way as Disabled people and Residents can be. Although this had been possible in Cork, this was a local agreement and Dublin City Council was not willing nor able to enter into such an agreement. As a result of this GoCar had to pay substantial rents for private, albeit very close to on-street, parking spaces in order to launch its service in Dublin. Indexing CarSharing, sustainable mobility, city lifestyle, integrated mobility, public cars
Contact Person Marc Rafferty, GoCar, AE House, Main Street, Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary. Tel: 086 386 7980, e-mail: marcrafferty@gocar.ie, www.gocar.ie Additional material The following material has been used by GoCar since 2008: Introductory brochure Customer Manual On-street signage On-vehicle signage Vehicle handbook Posters Flyers In addition, please refer to the website www.gocar.ie for further information, including a short video on the service and how to use it.