Carsharing: Relieves environment, saves costs | Umweltbundesamt

UBA Vice President Dr. Thomas Holzmann says, “A large number of businesses as well as public institutions have recognised that in addition to economic and social considerations, environmental goals are also key to their long-term success. One area in which not only the private individual but commercial businesses as well can do something for the environment, and save costs, too, is to take advantage of carsharing. Moreover, carsharing is an inexpensive alternative to maintaining a company fleet or using private vehicles. This is all the more so when a destination is difficult to access by public means of transport.”

Organised sharing of cars is gaining popularity in Germany. 158,000 drivers are currently registered with some 110 carsharing agencies in Germany, with a combined access to 4,600 carsharing vehicles. About 25 percent of all users of carsharing are commercial customers.

Managing Director Willi Loose of Bundesverband CarSharing commented on the brochure, “Nine detailed examples illustrate the motives behind businesses‘, municipal governments‘, federal authorities‘, and organisations’ and associations‘ choice to operate their business travel with carsharing vehicles. It can save costs since no owned vehicle that would otherwise be underused is on hand. In other cases, peak times of need can be covered that would be considerably more expensive to accommodate with a company fleet.  Alternately, extraordinary travel can also be managed, for example for haulage of heavy loads or bulky materials in vans or mini-buses provided by the local carsharing agency.”  Furthermore, carsharing is a space-saving alternative to private or commercial vehicle use in densely populated agglomerations.