With gas prices at a high and parking in small supply in larger cities it makes sense to not own your own car. Though there are several alternatives to driving (i.e. public transportation, biking, walking, etc.) sometimes you just need to to drive a car.
I-GO Car Sharing, a not-for-profit car sharing services based in Chicago, gives people yet another transportation option in the city without the hassle of owning a car. I-GO allows you to pay a one time enrollment fee ($75) and schedule to borrow a vehicle by the hour 24/7. You don't have to pay for gas or insurance and instead pay an hourly rate (starting at $6 per hour) plus mileage ($0.50 per mile) for usage of the car. Check out all the specific pricing details here.
I-GO uses technology to enable its users to have access to vehicles in any location at any time. Each member receives a Smartcard and each car is equipped with a Smartcard reader. Upon retrieving a car you simply:
- Place your new I-GO Smartcard over the card reader on the front windshield to unlock the doors.
- The car key is in the glovebox and is now attached to a green key fob which is stored in a specific slot.
I-GO was developed by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) and offers a number of car sharing locations throughout the city of Chicago and also has expanded to other cities such as New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Boston, Washington D.C. and Portland. For more information on the Chicago program check the I-GO Chicago web site or go to the Chicago I-GO blog.
