Car-Free: Diary of an Idealist - Entry # 5

So it's going well... No complaints. I can book a car ten minutes before I need it if necessary, and it's just so nice to have a clean, maintanance-free car with at least half a tank of gas in it at all times, whenever I need it. And, not when I don't! (We use VrtuCar, link here)

We have been using the car quite a bit this past week, getting ready for the trip, etc. Then next month when we are away, it will cost us only $12 (for our fee).

These are the questions everyone asks:

• So, how far ahead do you have to book? -- As I said sometimes ten minutes. There has never been a time where I couldn't get a car when needed. A few times I had to walk 15 min for it, but usually the one closest to us (four blocks away) is there when we need it.
• How much does it cost you? -- We are on the middle rate plan, so our fee is $24 per month, plus $2ish per hour plus $0.25 per km. You do not pay gas or insurance, so it works out cheaper for us than our monthly gas and insurance was, and waaaay cheaper when you factor in a car payment.
• How do you get the keys? -- Every car has it's keys nearby in a lock-box, and we have a key for the lock-box. All lock-boxes use the same key.
  
• How do they know when you use it? -- We can book a vehicle online 24-7. When we use it we fill out the odometre reading on beginning and end in a book that stays in the car. Honor system, but it's verified by each user.
• What if you want to go away for the weekend? -- Long distance or weekend trips currently cost around the same as a weekend car rental.
• Don't you lose your insurance standing? -- We are fully insured on the fleet and maintain our insurance/driver records as we would if we owned, but we pay nothing.

Works great, because neither of us need to drive to work and we try not to drive everywhere anyways. Some families use it as their second car. We're quite happy with it!