Flexcar Partners with Ashforth Pacific to Increase Mobility Options for Employers in Portland's Lloyd District
PORTLAND, Ore.--June 5, 2002--Flexcar, the nation's oldest and largest car-sharing company, and Portland's Ashforth Pacific, one of the nation's largest commercial real estate companies, have partnered to bring Flexcar's car-sharing program to the company's Lloyd Center properties.
Flexcar has initially placed two Toyota Prius Hybrid cars in the Lloyd Center area, which will be available for use by nearby businesses and residents who are Flexcar members.
Flexcar's innovative program provides members with access to a fleet of vehicles located throughout several metropolitan areas. Members reserve the vehicles for hourly use with Flexcar covering the cost of the car, gas, parking, insurance, and maintenance. Members pay only for the time they use the car, and pay nothing when they don't. Flexcar's Portland metro operations include a fleet of more than 30 vehicles in locations around Portland and Vancouver, Wash.
Flexcar offers Business Membership Plans that allow companies and organizations to augment or replace the need for fleet vehicles. Flexcar works with property managers to place Flexcar vehicles in convenient locations in downtown buildings. Employees of Flexcar Business Members can access the vehicles for meetings, errands or other business needs; the company is billed with a simple monthly invoice for only the amount of time the vehicle is used. Companies are using Flexcar to reduce their monthly fleet costs, to achieve commute reduction goals, or simply to provide a benefit to employees.
"As part of our commitment to improving the environment, we are pleased to offer Flexcar as a transportation option to tenants in our properties," said Hank Ashforth, CEO of Ashforth Pacific. "Having Flexcar available makes using transit, riding a bike or walking to work that much easier," Ashforth said. "The reality is, sometimes you need a car. Flexcar lets our tenants have a car at the office without driving to the office."
"Ashforth Pacific is a great example of a forward-thinking company," said Flexcar President and CEO Neil Peterson. "They have a keen understanding of the impact that car-sharing can have on our environment. By providing Flexcar at their properties, Ashforth is helping to reduce congestion and pollution while still helping solve a business need-- employee mobility."
Ashforth Pacific's properties around Portland's Lloyd Center reflect a long time family commitment to a thriving neighborhood. Continuing a family tradition of involvement and concern for the area, Ashforth Pacific's environmental commitments are part of the company's approach to livability and quality of life.
"As an environmentally engineered vehicle offering outstanding fuel economy and "Super Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV) certification, the Prius Hybrid makes good sense for Flexcar's sustainable transportation programs," said Len Fein, Product Planning Manager for Advanced Technology Vehicles at Toyota. He further added, "In congested stop and go city driving especially, where our gasoline/electric hybrid can sometimes operate exclusively on generated energy stored in the onboard battery thus producing zero tailpipe emissions, Prius is a perfect fit. Since most of the trips taken by Flexcar's members are of short duration and involve city driving, we anticipate Prius to perform very well in their newest Portland area program."
Following a successful European model, Flexcar launched its Seattle operations in 2000, and has since won numerous awards and commendations for its program that reduces congestion, reduces air pollution, reduces energy use, increases use of public transit and contributes to sustainable communities. Used in conjunction with public transit, car/vanpools and walking/biking, car-sharing can meet an individual's transportation needs in an economic and environmentally responsible manner, giving them the freedom of car ownership without the cost and hassles. Flexcar operates similar programs in Seattle, Washington, D.C. and Long Beach, Calif.
Ashforth Pacific, Inc.
Ashforth Pacific is a fully integrated property owner of commercial real estate focused on office markets along the West Coast. Ashforth Pacific's core businesses are: investment; development; property management; general contracting; construction management and parking management. Ashforth Pacific, Inc., is a wholly owned affiliate of The Ashforth Company, a fourth generation family owned company, which is now in its 106th year of business. As part of The Ashforth Company, Ashforth Pacific, Inc. possesses a combination of stable ownership and experience on both coasts that has proven successful through every type of real estate cycle.
Flexcar
Flexcar's innovative car-sharing program provides its 5,000 members convenient access to a fleet of new and fuel-efficient cars located across metropolitan regions. With flexible pricing plans, members can reserve and drive any of these cars whenever and wherever they need to, without filling out complicated paperwork, paying for insurance, gas or repairs. Flexcar Business Memberships enable companies to augment or replace their fleet with Flexcar vehicles. Flexcar's modern fleet includes sedans, gas-electric hybrids and specialty vehicles including pickups. Members can access a Flexcar in any of the following metropolitan areas: Seattle, Portland (Ore.), Washington, D.C. Metro and Long Beach (Calif.). Other regions will be added in 2002. Flexcar is a privately held company that has established strategic partnerships with King County (Wash.) Metro, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, Parsons Transportation Group and American Honda Co.
Editor's Note: Correct spelling and punctuation of name is "Flexcar"; not FlexCar or Flex Car.