Canadian Transportation Conference Features Major Carsharing Track - Oct. 3-6 Montreal

Montreal (Mont Tremblat) will be the host of a major conference in sustainable transportation, Oct. 3 - 6. The conference sponsored by Mobilité Urbaine Transport Avance Forum International is called ROLLING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

The conference guides the discussions around five themes:
• Regional transport Clusters;
• Modern and effective public transport, vehicles and infrastructures;
• Cities, developments and sustainable transport;
• Electric and hybrid vehicles: technical challenges and commercial successes;
• Carsharing : a choice at the heart of a sustainable transportation vision.

Details are still being finalized, but the speakers list for the carsharing sessions will bring together some major figures from the world of international carsharing. Here's the program description of Theme 5: Carsharing : a choice at the heart of a sustainable transportation vision.

"The role of the automobile in urban settings is at the core of debates dealing with environment and sustainable transport. The advantages of Carsharing in reducing emissions are undeniable. How can this mode of transport position itself as a true alternative to single occupant vehicles and complementary to public transport? Innovative ecological mobility in 2007, a review of leading global companies, supporting legislation, new technologies, market segments and new developments."

Workshop 1 - Market potential and analytical overview of the evolution in mobility.
Thursday October 4, 8:00 am to 10:00 am; Workshop Chairman: Marco Viviani, Communauto Inc.
• Carsharing as a policy tool for sustainable transportation.
Roland Ries, Senator of Bas-Rhin, former mayor of Strasbourg, promoter of the French law on the carsharing
• From a niche market to serving the general population: Carsharing at national level.
Peter Muheim, CEO Mobility Support Inc., Mobility CarSharing Switzerland
• Carsharing in North America.
Susan Shaheen, Director, Innovative Mobility/ Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways, University of California
• The combined mobility in the Quebec transportation policy : environment, reduction in auto ownerships, etc.
Benoit Robert, Chief Executive Officer, Communauto Inc. and Yves-Marie Abraham, Assistant Professor, HEC Montreal

Workshop 2 - Evaluation of the concept and fleet management.
Thursday October 4, 10 :30 am to 12:00 pm; Workshop Chairman: Yves-Dallaire Tecsult
• Evaluation of Carsharing services in the canadian cities.
Kevin McLaughlin, Director, Autoshare Toronto and Tracey Axelsson, Director, Cooperative Auto Network, Vancouver
• Carsharing as an extension of public transport.
Nicole Baribeau, Coordonnator in Market development, RÈseau de transport de la Capitale
• Carsharing as a complement to municipal fleet : costs reduction, effects on the mobility
Denise Martin, Transport coordonator, Urbanism Depatrement, City of Gatineau
• Regional Carsharing: a development opportunity for local communities?
speaker to be announced

Many, if not most of the carsharing sessions will be in English, though it is likely that speakers on other "themes" will make their remarks in French. You can see the full agenda from the MUTA conference web site. It's been a while since there's been a conference with a major emphasis on carsharing and this one should certainly provide good exposure to carsharing in Canada. If you're looking for a reason to visit Montreal, this is it. Register online.

Thanks to Marco Viviani, Director of Development and Public Relations for CommunAuto for the information.

Some Good Perspectives About Carsharing and Marketing

Writer Mike Bierne, at a website call Brandweek, has published one of the most thoughtful and comprehensive articles about carsharing in a long time. While concentrating on "Flex" and "Zip", he acknowledges the role of the "indies", City Carshare, Philly Carshare, HourCar, etc. the article, titled "Temporary Plates", provides a very good overview to anyone interested in the current state of the industry.

It includes a discussion about recent efforts to introduce "hourly car rental" by Enterprise (in several cities) and Hertz (in Manhattan). As I have written earlier, I think the carsharing people should be concerned about these efforts as they will confuse the marketplace and our governmental partners.

But the heart of the article for me was the discussion about carsharing market positioning near the article. Bierne contrasts the early emphasis on "green" marketing (perhaps overstates it a little, since after all we were marketing to early adopters!) with later efforts by the "big guys" to find a broader appeal. Here's a quote from the article by Zipcar CEO Scott Griffith:

"The green positioning was off the mark," he said. "Most consumers don't change their buying position [just] because something is green. We had to come up with a focus for our brand that was much more exciting and broader than that."

...However, in Griffith's view, Zipcar had to be positioned as a lifestyle brand, one that transformed living in the city without a car into an alternative that was smarter and hipper than owning one. Four years ago, the company hired Yankelovich, New York, to conduct psychographic research. The study identified potential customers like the "aspiring achievers"—brand and status conscious people who are more likely to buy a car—and "individualists," who were early Internet adopters and heavy bloggers.

And the rest is history, as Zipcar has demonstrated. Later, the article makes another good point quoting Flexcar's PR person, John Williams:

"There's a transformation aspect involved with the ability to have access to a car when you need one without having to own it," said Williams, who's ever on watch for stories he can publish of people whose personal or financial lives have been improved though their Flexcar memberships. These true tales range from a couple who qualified for a bigger mortgage-and bought a bigger house after dumping their car, to working mothers who can spend more time with their children because the cost-savings of car sharing allowed them make ends meet with just a part-time job. "Those are very powerful stories," Williams said. "Car sharing is a liberating presence for folks, and that freedom leads to a very strong core brand affinity. People have an emotional connection to the freedom they enjoy because they can have a car when they need it."

Walk Score

There's an obvious correlation between the walkability of a neighborhood and how much one needs (wants?) to drive a car to take care of the basics of life - shopping, entertainment and recreation; and, hence, the attractiveness of carsharing. But short of the various sophisticated analyses developed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology in Chicago for the Location Efficient Mortgage Program, there's never been a very easy way for you and I to track such things.

Until the advent of WalkScore.com, that is. With an elegantly simple presentation, you simply type in a US address (sorry, rest of the world) and up pops a map showing the businesses in the area and a calculated walking score:
90 - 100 = Walkers' Paradise: Most errands can be accomplished on foot and many people get by without owning a car.
70 - 90 = Very Walkable: It's possible to get by without owning a car.
50 - 70 = Some Walkable Locations: Some stores and amenities are within walking distance, but many everyday trips still require a bike, public transportation, or car.
25 - 50 = Not Walkable: Only a few destinations are within easy walking range. For most errands, driving or public transportation is a must.
0 - 25 = Driving Only: Virtually no neighborhood destinations within walking range. You can walk from your house to your car!

Not surprisingly, behind the scenes is Google Maps. According to the website, the score is based on the distance to walkable destinations near an address. The types of businesses listed are retail/consumer-oriented businesses. It doesn't say so, but, presumably, in addition to the distance it's also taking into account the number (and maybe even variety) of businesses close-by. The website has a page listing conditions for more walkable neighborhoods.

WalkScore is up front about the limitations of the analysis - one obvious one being the use of "as the crow flies" distances - which would show an area walkable even if all the businesses were on the other side of a river. Other factors NOT taken into account are: street width and block length, safety, crime, traffic accidents, crosswalks, pedestrian-friendly design, topography (hills, freeways, water), public transit and weather.

It's not obvious who's behind WalkScore, but the website says it's "inspired by" the Sightline Institute in Seattle (where I first heard about it). Other groups mentioned are Cooltown Studios, a Washington DC outfit with the slogan "Crowdsourcing urban growth for creatives" and Walkable Communities Inc. . Thanks to all behind it!