The Department of Transportation has recently announced the first expansion of Carshare, reports News 12 Brooklyn. The initial Carshare pilot program launched in 2018 but after widespread approval users can expect 270 new dedicated Carshare spaces across the city.
Carshare allows New Yorkers to access a vehicle for short-term use – usually for a day or even an hour. Using a smartphone, users can reserve and use a car of their choice and then return it to the same reserved spot.
"The city's Carshare program has a proven track record of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and offering New Yorkers an alternative to owning a car as they move around our city," said Mayor Eric Adams.
"That's why we expanded this program in February and why we are doing it again — this time for neighborhoods in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx. This program has been studied thoroughly with extensive community feedback, and the results are clear: Car-sharing is making New York City safer, cleaner, and healthier."
The program is the city's latest attempt to improve air quality and reduce congestion. According to statistics, the plan seems to be working. The DOT said Carshare users took about 160,000 trips with an average of 24 trips per month per space in those five years. In light of this, the recent expansion follows not only a successful reduction in car ownership but a sharp decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by 7% and vehicle miles traveled by 6%.
In Brooklyn, the expansion will bring 24 new dedicated curbside parking spaces throughout Bay Ridge, Bushwick, Brownsville and Sunset Park. There had previously been 68 spaces in the initial program, but most of them were in the northern part of the borough.
"Carshare access provides New Yorkers an additional option as they decide how to get to where they need to go," said Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks-Powers, chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
"I continue to support New York City Department of Transportation's efforts to expand this program, which reduces emissions and vehicle miles traveled. I look forward to further investment in multi-modal transportation options for New Yorkers, especially in the City's transit deserts."
Once all sites are installed, an up-to-date map of locations will be available at nyc.gov/carshare. For the official report click here.
