Spring Break
Baltimore car sharing program in testing phase
Issue date: 3/26/09
"We ran into a number of barriers at the beginning of this year," James said. "We were hoping to launch an alpha test with just the Parking Authority and another city agency before expanding citywide to all residents a month or two later. We then ran into some obstacles."
James stressed that these were just routine financial and administrative difficulties associated with start-up companies, especially those connected to city or local governments and not related to the recent economic downturn. The Parking Authority began receiving new interest from ZipCar and other private companies about car sharing.
Now, James said, the Parking Authority is working with ZipCar and other interested companies, most of which are car rental agencies, on a new request for proposals.
"Our pursuit of creating a separate non-profit car sharing organization has been put on hold, but we are still working to bring car sharing to Baltimore . . . We're going to tell them what we're looking for, what we're willing to give, what we want from them - and we're going to build in some of the elements that we were trying to bring with Baltimore CarShare and have them meet these goals."
More than 500 residents have already tentatively registered for the car sharing program, according to James. The initiative is tied closely to Mayor Dixon's plans to make Baltimore a more eco-conscious city, and it has enjoyed much public support.
James pointed out that "things had definitely changed" since December 2008, but not for the worse. The city is remains committed to car sharing, for many reasons, and the Parking Authority believes this partnership with other companies can produce a great benefit to residents of Baltimore because "we've gone back to the Request for proposals approach, but now we know much more."
"It's important that car sharing exists in Baltimore, so that people can live without a car, with one or two fewer cars - it's so much more than just improving the parking situation ... We also see this as a chance to build community, as more people turn to walking, bicycling or taking the bus to their various destinations."
James also spoke about another green initiative that Baltimore residents will see this summer. The city plans to launch three new, free bus routes down to various locations downtown, including the Inner Harbor, Harbor East and Federal Hill.
These new routes would employ a fleet of hybrid buses, and would run as far north as Penn Station, so that by next fall, Hopkins students could have a new, free, eco-friendly way to travel to downtown Baltimore.
James stressed that these were just routine financial and administrative difficulties associated with start-up companies, especially those connected to city or local governments and not related to the recent economic downturn. The Parking Authority began receiving new interest from ZipCar and other private companies about car sharing.
Now, James said, the Parking Authority is working with ZipCar and other interested companies, most of which are car rental agencies, on a new request for proposals.
"Our pursuit of creating a separate non-profit car sharing organization has been put on hold, but we are still working to bring car sharing to Baltimore . . . We're going to tell them what we're looking for, what we're willing to give, what we want from them - and we're going to build in some of the elements that we were trying to bring with Baltimore CarShare and have them meet these goals."
More than 500 residents have already tentatively registered for the car sharing program, according to James. The initiative is tied closely to Mayor Dixon's plans to make Baltimore a more eco-conscious city, and it has enjoyed much public support.
James pointed out that "things had definitely changed" since December 2008, but not for the worse. The city is remains committed to car sharing, for many reasons, and the Parking Authority believes this partnership with other companies can produce a great benefit to residents of Baltimore because "we've gone back to the Request for proposals approach, but now we know much more."
"It's important that car sharing exists in Baltimore, so that people can live without a car, with one or two fewer cars - it's so much more than just improving the parking situation ... We also see this as a chance to build community, as more people turn to walking, bicycling or taking the bus to their various destinations."
James also spoke about another green initiative that Baltimore residents will see this summer. The city plans to launch three new, free bus routes down to various locations downtown, including the Inner Harbor, Harbor East and Federal Hill.
These new routes would employ a fleet of hybrid buses, and would run as far north as Penn Station, so that by next fall, Hopkins students could have a new, free, eco-friendly way to travel to downtown Baltimore.
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