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.