City CarShare Arrives at UC Berkeley

    Community-Based Car-Sharing Organization Offers Affordable Program To
       University, Saves Students, Faculty & Staff Thousands of Dollars

    BERKELEY, Calif., Feb. 5 -- Today City CarShare expanded its
operations with the opening of two locations on the University of California
at Berkeley campus.  City CarShare is a community based non-profit
organization dedicated to promoting mobility for Bay Area residents while
reducing the negative effects that parking, traffic, and pollution have on the
region.  Two brand new green Volkswagen Beetles are now parked on campus for
all City CarShare members to experience the freedom of driving without the
hassles of ownership.  The overwhelming success of City CarShare in San
Francisco, the East Bay and Palo Alto paved the way for bringing the service
to UC Berkeley.  City CarShare is partnering with UC Berkeley's Parking and
Transportation Department to establish the locations and market the program to
the entire campus community.
    One green Beetle is currently parked in the Dana/Durant parking lot on the
south side of campus; the other vehicle is parked in the Upper Hearst parking
structure at Hearst Ave and Gayley Rd.  City CarShare members simply make
reservations on the website (http://www.citycarshare.org) or by using an automated
phone system, and use the cars when they need them.  Vehicles are available
24 hours a day, and members can make reservations up to 3 months in advance.
Members pay based on how much they drive:  $3.50 per hour (capped at $35 per
day) and $.37 cents per mile (which includes gas, insurance and maintenance).
City CarShare members save up to hundreds of dollars a month by sharing
instead of owning a car.  According to the Automobile Association of America,
the average Bay Area resident spends $500 a month to own a car.  In contrast,
the average City CarShare monthly bill is just $65.
    City CarShare is now targeting students as future members to encourage a
new generation of car-sharers.  Car-sharing is an affordable, easy to use
alternative that provides mobility while actually reducing the number of
vehicles on the road.
    "Students are an incredible target market for car-sharing," said Larry
Magid, Executive Director of City CarShare.  "They are cost-conscious,
environmentally conscious, and, if we can help change their lifestyles now, as
young people, they will help build a future for the Bay Area that is less
dominated by the automobile."
    "City CarShare adds to the options members of the Berkeley campus
community have to use alternate modes of access.  We welcome all programs that
can help manage traffic and congestion around the campus environs," said
Nadesan Permaul, Director of Transportation at UC Berkeley.
    "I just recently used City CarShare to celebrate my birthday in San
Francisco," said student member Frank Flores.  "I took BART across the Bay and
picked up a car in the Mission to go out to dinner -- it was easy."
    "Car-sharing doesn't encourage over-use of cars -- just smarter use," said
long-time member Christopher Myers.

    About City CarShare
    Founded in March of 2001, City CarShare's mission is to promote
car-sharing as a community-based transportation option that respects the
environmental, economic and social integrity of our neighborhoods and planet.
City CarShare now has over 2,200 members sharing 85 cars from 35 Bay Area
locations.
    For more information about City CarShare please visit
http://www.citycarshare.org.