Yet another US city is to benefit from the rising phenomenon that is the car2go car club-this time it’s Miami.
On Saturday (July 28), the East Coast city welcomed 240 smart fortwo vehicles which make up its new car club service-a flexible car hire system where customers can pay by the minute for the use of the cars.
Registration for Miami’s new service is already open at Miami.car2go.com. For a limited time, all new members who use the promotion code HEAT will receive 30 free minutes of driving time, with the one-time $35 membership fee being waived too.
Hailing the arrival of the service to Miami, Art Noriega, CEO of the Miami Parking Authority said: “We are proud to welcome car2go to Miami. car2go will provide our customers the flexibility to use another form of transportation on an as-needed basis, thus expanding the personal mobility options available to those who work, live, visit or patronize businesses in Miami.”
The car2go service now operates in 14 European and North American cities and is the world’s fastest growing car club, having already succeeded in doubling its membership this year. A subsidiary of car giant Daimler (which owns the smart and Mercedes-Benz brands) the service is designed to meet a rising demand for a flexible alternative to car ownership in congested cities.
Members of the service can hire the cars by the minute with vehicles available 24/7. Using a smartphone app or the service’s website, they can locate cars nearest to them with vehicles spread across the city. They can pick up and drop off any car2go anywhere within the scheme’s operation- in any legal on-street parking space-with no need to return them to their starting point. Parking, fuel, maintenance and insurance are included at no additional cost.
"The success of car2go around the world to date shows that we are in a time that demands and calls for new mobility solutions in urban settings, and we are thrilled to be working with the City of Miami and the Miami Parking Authority to bring the next generation of car sharing to the people who live in, work in and visit Miami,” said Nicholas Cole, president and CEO of car2go North America.
Faye has been writing about cars and environmental issues since 2007. A suspected eco-warrior working on the corporate inside, Faye mainly likes the weird, quirky vehicles that show a distinct environmental advantage. Her ideal car has enough room to fit a bale of hay in the boot. When not working, she likes nothing better than to head out on her bicycle and explore the countryside.
Faye Sunderland
July 30, 2012
Filed under: smart
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