New sharing scheme takes the stress out of having a car

New sharing scheme takes the stress out of having a car

By Mary Dennehy

A NEW pay-per-trip, members only car-sharing service has pulled into The Square shopping centre, which, like the city bike scheme, allows people to access a vehicle when and where they need it.

The innovative idea is steered by GoCar, which works on a pay-per-trip basis allowing members the freedom to access a vehicle – by simply swiping their bank card and entering their unique pin number to release the keys.

GoCar Tallaght Square SC 3 

With no parking costs incurred for the use of GoCar vehicles, users can instead, according to GoCar, budget for the essential vehicle trip they wish to make without the stress and cost associated with NCT testing, vehicle servicing, motor tax and insurance premiums.

Since its launch in 2013, GoCar, which charges by the hour and kilometre, has experienced rapid growth with its membership base growing to over 5,000 members.

This increase in membership has seen its fleet of vehicles expand to 133 with 103 GoCar bases supporting this fleet – with nearly 25,000 GoCar trips clocked.

The new Tallaght base will be served by three vehicles, the Go-City, a Hyundai i20, the GoTripper, a Hyundai i30 and the GoVan, a Ford Transit Connect.

According to GoCar, the launch of the new base in Tallaght is another positive development in the evolution of car sharing in Ireland and the overall GoCar story – following the recent enactment of Government legislation allowing for local authorities to designate exclusive parking spaces for car-sharing clubs.

Colm Brady, Managing Director of GoCar commented: “The launch of this new base in Tallaght is yet another significant step in our journey and offers another viable transport option to the people of Tallaght. GoCar is continuing to grow at a rapid pace as more and more people are seeking smarter and more affordable methods of transport.”

Minister for Transport, Paschal Donohoe TD commented: “The unveiling of this new base at The Square, Tallaght is a welcome addition and will further enhance car-sharing and its appeal to users.

“As our economy continues to improve, inevitably we are going to see more vehicles on our roads which is unsustainable from a traffic and environmental point of view.

“Therefore it is crucial we find effective ways of encouraging people to consider more sustainable transport options such as car sharing.

“Innovative initiatives such as GoCar afford people the opportunity to reduce their car usage and significantly reduce their car running costs.”

To mark the launch of the new Tallaght base, new members can sign up to GoCar for €10, which represents a €40 discount on the standard €50 registration fee. Use promo code 61TALLAGHT.

For further information visit www.gocar.ie

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