Author: Communauto Official News

Communauto launches FLEX, one-way carsharing service in Halifax

Montreal (Canada), June 22, 2017 – Communauto, North American carsharing pioneer, announced today the arrival of its one-way carsharing service in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The fleet of 20 hybrid vehicles labeled FLEX will be made available in the coming days by the operator CarShare Atlantic, of which Communauto is a majority shareholder. FLEX vehicles can be identified using a smart phone or the website and used spontaneously for trips from point A to point B.

Halifax is the 8th largest city in Canada in which Communauto offers a carsharing service. Moreover, this is his third big launch of self-service car-sharing without reservation. With FLEX, Communauto reiterates its commitment to providing a practical alternative to car ownership. Even more, Communauto combines two carsharing offers : with and without reservation.

Exclusive carsharing permits
Halifax metropolitan area has granted exclusive carsharing permits. Doing so, this allows self-service vehicles to park on the road and in the resident areas.

Hence, vehicles put into service are Prius C, 5-seater hybrids. Even more, the on-board technology was developed by a Quebec company: ETL Électronique.

New one-way carsharing in Halifax

Communauto President and CEO Benoit Robert said: “Our company stands out by offering two complementary offers to meet mobility needs in urban areas. Our service offers both reliability and flexibility, which allows us to contribute in an even more sustainable way to the reduction of the motorization of households.”

About Communauto
Communauto was founded in Québec City in 1994. The company has a social, environmental and urbanistic mission. It is not only the oldest carsharing company in North America but also the first North American carsharing organisation to offer a large fleet of 100% electric vehicles as well as both station-based and free-floating carsharing services. It service relies on more than 2000 vehicles. Its network is in full expansion, present in 7 canadian cities : Kingston, Ottawa, Gatineau, Montreal (Laval and Longueuil), Québec, Sherbrooke, Halifax and, since 2012, in Paris, France.

Auto-mobile service added to transportation options available at the Gare d’autocars de Montréal

Montreal, October 11, 2017- Today opens a new drop-off point at the Gare d’autocars de Montréal for Auto-mobile, Communauto’s free floating service.

Carsharing offer is now added to the taxi, the metro and the intercity buses already present in this place. The offer now includes an array of mobility options to encourage and optimize alternative travel to the solo auto. The site can accommodate up to six cars, exclusive to carsharing service.

They will be available 24 hours a day at the entrance of 550 Ontario Street East.

Communauto’s web App
A passenger on the bus to Montreal may block an Auto-mobile 30 minutes before the end of his trip. Thanks to the use of the Communuato App, he will be able to take possession of a vehicle as soon as he arrives at the station. After use, he may release the vehicle at the station or at any other designated drop-off point. When they go to Montreal, subscribers in the cities served by Communauto will be able to take advantage of the Auto-mobile service.

Accessible sustainable mobility
“The offer of carsharing, like the taxi, completes the missing link for our passengers in transit. They want to enjoy a variety of transportation options for the last kilometers of their trip. These are sometimes difficult to organize, especially in periods outside peak hours. With this addition, we make life easier for those who choose sustainable mobility on a daily basis” , says Director and Chief Operating Officer Ghislain Doré.

” This Communauto drop-off point is a great demonstration of openness to multimodality on the part of the Gare d’autocars de Montréal. The addition of car sharing service makes it a unique point of service in Quebec,” says Marco Viviani, Vice-President, Strategic Development for Communauto. ” The Gare d’autocars de Montreal offers destinations in the eight cities covered by our carsharing services, this station will facilitate the travel of our users,” he concludes.

Concentration of the offer
The intermodality offered at the Gare d’autocars de Montréal reinforces the existing transport offer. In this busy sector, it is estimated that more than 2.5 million passengers tarnsit each year. A high proportion of which are in transit for reasons of work or study. By combining all these modes in one place, users arrive in the Montréal metropolitan area and have a smooth, efficient service while participating in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

As a major intercity center, the Gare d’autocars de Montréal is also an important service center with more than 371 dwellings, the Quartier Latin medical clinic, a pharmacy, a convenience store, a restaurant and a coach service.

-30-

Source

Brigitte Geoffroy

Communauto, PR Advisor

1 514 499-2956

bgeoffroy@communauto.ca | www.communauto.ca

Communauto is enthousiast about the City of Montréal’s position shift concerning free-floating carsharing vehicles

Montréal, March 15th 2018 – Communauto, the largest free-floating carsharing operator in Greater Montréal, salutes the City of Montréal’s new position on free-floating carsharing vehicles.

“Demands for free-floating vehicles are far from being met. Also, the potential is great compared to other Canadian cities. The City’s new policy will allow us to overcome the barriers that have slowed us down in the past. It will also contribute to significantly reduce the circulation of cars and their emissions.” says Mr. Benoît Robert, CEO of Communauto.

The new administration’s initiatives : a positive response to Communauto’s demands:

Enlarging the free-floating service area to include the boroughs of Ahuntsic-Cartierville and Ville-Marie. Note that the free-floating service is already available in Verdun and Outremont. As a result, the City’s new policy will allow us to improve the service coverage in those boroughs ;

Eliminating the cap on the number of permits for hybrid free-floating vehicles and simplifying procedures to obtain them ;

The introduction of incentives for the electrification of the fleet of vehicles, starting by a lower price for the vignettes emitted for those particular vehicles. Communauto already has Canada’s largest carsharing fleet of electric vehicles (120 EV). Most of them are part of its free-floating service.

A positive alternative
“Apprehensions were brought up in the past about the free-floating carsharing service being detrimental to the cab industry, and eventually cannibalizing public transit. After several years of service, it seems obvious to us that there are more opportunities than risks in developing mobility alternatives to the private ownership of cars. Communauto is strongly committed to strengthening the relationship between the actors within this ecosystem”. adds M. Robert.

– 30 –

About Communauto
Communauto is the largest carsharing service in Québec. Founded in 1994, the company with an environmental, social and urbanistic mission has a fleet of over 2000 vehicles in 8 cities: Kingston, Ottawa, Gatineau, Montréal (Laval and Longueuil), Québec, Sherbrooke, Halifax and Paris (France).

In Montréal, Communauto offers to its users a station-bound service with reservation of over 1000 vehicles and a free-floating service, Auto-mobile, that counts 600 vehicles.

Communauto is also the largest operator of shared electric vehicles in Canada. Over the years, it also developed several partnerships with public transportation operators, urban and long distance, taxi companies and bike sharing.

For more information:

Marco Viviani, vice-président

Développement stratégique 1 514 499-2804

mviviani@communauto.ca

Communauto receives City of Toronto’s first permit for free-floating car-share pilot

Communauto FLEX Toronto will begin operations in November 2018
Canada’s longest-running car-sharing company Communauto will begin operating Toronto’s first free-floating car-share project under the City of Toronto’s new pilot program. The service, Communauto FLEX, plans to have more than 500 cars on the ground covering 100 square kilometres in Toronto.

During the first phase of the pilot in November 2018, Communauto FLEX will operate in the downtown core. Even more, 200 cars servicing 50 square kilometres will be available. Communauto president M. Benoit Robert received the City’s first permit from the Mayor of Toronto and Barbara Gray, the City of Toronto’s General Manager of Transportation. The event toke place during a press conference on October 9.

“Car-sharing technologies have the power to change how people go about their day-to-day lives and get around this city. I’ve encouraged the introduction of these new technologies and believe that there can be many benefits, including potentially reducing traffic and congestion by removing cars from the road,” said Mayor John Tory. “I’m proud we’ve worked to strike a balance between the benefits of car-sharing and the potential impacts it could have on neighbourhoods. I’m thrilled that the team at Communauto is among the first to join the pilot and operate here within these new regulations.”

Approved in April 2018
The Free-Floating Car-Share pilot project was approved by the City of Toronto in April 2018. Free-floating car-sharing allows members to take one-way trips beginning in one location and ending in another. This service enables drivers to pick up cars from and drop off cars to legal residential parking spaces throughout the city, rather than being confined to a fixed location.

Communauto FLEX has no monthly fees and is free to join, using a pay-as-you-go structure. Daily trips begin at $0.41/minute, $15/hour, $50/day and $35 is charged for any days following. The first 150km is included in the price of each trip.

During launch, users will receive the first 30 minutes of each trip free for one month after joining.

Torontonians can pick up Communauto FLEX cars from and drop them off at legal on-street parking spaces within the service area, and drive anywhere they want to go in between.

CEO Benoit Robert wishes to add to the existing transit options
“As a Canadian company, we’re proud to be the first to bring a free-floating car service to Toronto under this pilot. Our FLEX service will make car-sharing easy and affordable for city residents, and our goal is to work together with Toronto’s existing transit options to provide better solutions to mobility issues,” said Benoit Robert, Communauto president. “Car-sharing offers a number of social and environmental benefits to individuals and businesses. We are looking forward to working with the city, our users and other community partners to create thriving mobility solution.”

Free-float zone
Communauto FLEX will launch in Toronto with 200 Hyundai Accent hatchbacks. The free-floating car-share will service an area that will cover close to 50 square kilometres in the downtown core. It’s parking zone will span to High Park and Runnymede in the west, Dupont and Danforth in the north, and Victoria Park in the east. Excluded from the service area at launch: metered parking spaces and Green P lots.

If the pilot project is approved after the first 18 months of operations, Communauto FLEX will expand to have more than 500 cars on the road and will grow its service area to cover 100 square kilometres, serving residents up to Eglinton Ave.

How it works
Communauto FLEX offers Torontonians 24/7 access to one-way carsharing. Therefor, it is a simple way to improve their mobility inside and outside the city.

Registered users can locate and reserve cars using the Communauto FLEX mobile App. Doors can also be unlocked and locked using a smartphone or a membership card.

The first 30 minutes of booking are free.

This timelaps gives users enough time to reach the vehicle. Even more, drivers can stop and start their journey at any time.

To pre-register for Communauto FLEX, please visit: https://toronto.communauto.com/

More information on Toronto’s Free-Floating Car-Share pilot project is available at http://bit.ly/FFCarSharePilot2018

About Communauto
Founded in Quebec City in 1994, Communauto is the oldest car-sharing service in North America and the one serving the largest number of communities in Canada. With a fleet of more than 2,000 vehicles, the company serves 13 cities each one with a local approach. Among these Edmonton, Waterloo Region, Hamilton, London, Guelph, Kingston, Ottawa, Gatineau, Montréal/Laval/ Longueuil, Quebec City/Lévis, Sherbrooke, Halifax and Paris in France. Communauto group operates gas, hybrids and electric cars and offers both round-trip and free-floating carsharing.

Toronto’s new car-share service Communauto FLEX launches November 24

First company to receive a permit under the City of Toronto’s new free-floating car-share pilot program TORONTO, November 21, 2018 – Communauto FLEX is bringing free-floating car-sharing back to Toronto under the City’s new pilot program. Beginning this Saturday, November 24, Communauto FLEX will operate in the downtown core with 200 cars servicing 50 square… Continue reading Toronto’s new car-share service Communauto FLEX launches November 24

Pogo Carshare joins Communauto Group

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 19th, 2018 Local company partners to expand carsharing in Edmonton with more cars and lower fares   (Edmonton) Pogo Carshare is proud to announce its partnership with Communauto, the oldest and largest carsharing organization in Canada. The two companies plan to further develop carsharing and promote sustainable mobility solution in Edmonton.… Continue reading Pogo Carshare joins Communauto Group

VRTUCAR and Communauto breathe new life to carsharing into southwestern Ontario

Kitchener/Waterloo – Hamilton, March 27 – Communauto, the first carsharing company in Canada, and VRTUCAR, its subsidiary in Ottawa and Kingston, announces today that the purchase of Community CarShare co-operative’s assets has been completed, assuring their members that carsharing will survive and thrive in southwestern Ontario.  “VRTUCAR is committed to ensuring continuity of excellent service while… Continue reading VRTUCAR and Communauto breathe new life to carsharing into southwestern Ontario

Communauto welcomes City of Montréal’s position shift concerning free-floating vehicles with enthusiasm

Montréal, March 15th 2018 – Communauto, the largest free-floating carsharing operator in Greater Montréal, salutes the City of Montréal’s new position on free-floating carsharing vehicles. “Demand concerning free-floating vehicles is far from being met and the potential is still great compared to other Canadian cities. The City’s new policy will allow us to overcome the… Continue reading Communauto welcomes City of Montréal’s position shift concerning free-floating vehicles with enthusiasm