Car2Go gets Council committee green light, though West Seattle’s not included

This morning, the City Council Transportation Committee gave its approval to something that’s been catching West Seattleites’ attention for a while now (though our part of the city apparently isn’t part of the initial plan). WSB Forums members have been talking about a lot near the east end of the West Seattle Bridge that is a holding zone for hundreds of Smart Cars awaiting the green light Car2Go, a car-sharing service that enables members to drive borrowed cars 1-way instead of roundtrip like Zipcar (the difference is explained in this city memo). The holding-lot video above was shot and published to YouTube a month ago by West Seattleite Jerry Whiting of JetCityOrange.com.

Today’s meeting was previewed in this story by reporter Lynn Thompson on SeattleTimes.com (WSB partner). It points out that West Seattle is one of the areas NOT in the initial service plan for Car2Go’s Seattle launch. Before the Transportation Committee’s 4-0 vote this morning, the fact some areas will be left out got “a lot of good discussion,” says Brian Hawksford, legislative assistant to West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, the committee’s chair. Hawksford says Car2Go expects to “be responsive to market demands from areas not in their initial boundaries.” Next step for the proposal: A vote by the full City Council on Monday afternoon.

sam-c November 30, 2012 (11:55 am)

it’s disappointing that WS is not included. Zipcar doesn’t have a broad enough presence in WS to make it useful either. I looked into WS locations when thinking about joining zipcar, but there were only 2 locations and not within walking/ bus distance from my house. there used to be zipcars nearby, but tehy were taken out of the mix, i guess.

with all the apts. going in (that don’t have enough parking spaces for every unit), maybe they will eventually expand…

S November 30, 2012 (12:14 pm)

Great a fleet of oxymoron cars.

Chris W November 30, 2012 (12:15 pm)

Interestingly, Zipcar sent our a survey this week asking about preferences for one way on-the-go use of Zipcars. Competition?

JanS November 30, 2012 (12:24 pm)

But of course West Seattle is not included. Why include one of the biggest neighborhoods in the city? We’re like the Rodney Dangerfield of ‘hoods sometimes, aren’t we?

anonyme November 30, 2012 (12:40 pm)

So, West Seattle gets the $hitty end of the stick in regard to transportation yet again. What a surprise. Residents of Arbor Heights really could have used this service out in our direction, given the fact our bus service has been gutted. As it stands, even if (or when) Car2Go does come to West Seattle, it won’t be of much use to AH residents who will need to take two buses even to reach the lot…

JanS November 30, 2012 (1:47 pm)

would be nice if we were included. Zipcar used to have cars at PCC – was told they were taken away because of low usage, yet it was always hard to reserve one…and I was told by Zipcar that when Element 42 and the Adm. SAfeway were finished, that they would have 2-3 cars tehre. Guess not.

GoGo November 30, 2012 (2:20 pm)

I am a new Arbor Heights resident and love my new ‘hood! I thought Metro was going to fix the lack of buses to our area, no?

anonyme November 30, 2012 (2:42 pm)

GoGo, don’t count on it. West Seattle tends to receive services and improvements well behind the rest of Seattle, and Arbor Heights is the last within West Seattle to be considered. We’re way at the bottom. Many City employees don’t even know Arbor Heights is within Seattle City limits.

Val Vashon November 30, 2012 (4:03 pm)

WTF? I took pictures of that lot for the forums- there’s hundreds of them there! Plus, you’ll see them in West Seattle anyway. They’ll end up over here and they’ll have to extend the program. Not sure how they can tell people where to drive them- it should be extended all over the sound.

WSB November 30, 2012 (4:12 pm)

Val – the only aspect of city involvement is that the key feature of this program is that Car2Go pays the city for permits for them to be parked in any kind of spot the driver chooses to leave them in, according to what I’ve read of the documentation so far. Even an RPZ. I sent an inquiry to Car2Go days ago when this first came up in the forum, asking them for more info (even before the Times story), but got no reply. Am going to renew that inquiry to ask what the deal is with leaving West Seattle out. CM Rasmussen’s office advises the discussion at today’s meeting is worth watching when the video turns up on Seattle Channel’s website (may be there already, I haven’t had a chance to look). – TR

Cecelia November 30, 2012 (10:01 pm)

Its unfortunate that they won’t be in w.Seattle. I’ve always thought one of the biggest flaws in zip car was no one way trips.

AJP December 1, 2012 (8:49 am)

You know why West Seattle doesn’t get better transportation options? Because West Seattleites pride themselves on hardly ever leaving their peninsula, except for work.

JJM December 4, 2012 (10:24 am)

I agree with AJP. My mom and I have said for years, “If you can’t find it in West Seattle, you don’t really need it.” We are pretty self-sufficient.

West Seattle Tool Library December 7, 2012 (8:40 am)

So disappointed to see that Car2Go won’t initially be covering West Seattle. We’re huge fans of the Sharing Economy and would love to see West Seattle become a hub for even more of these programs.

Here in West Seattle, last year’s Seattle Share Fair (http://bit.ly/zR5Dkl), hosted by Sustainable West Seattle, was a great start along that path. Now we just need to keep driving the point home and convincing companies like Car2Go and Zipcar to increase their investments and coverage here.

For The Tool Library’s part, we’d love to partner up with either however possible.

Sorry, comment time is over.