Westworld Alberta
Issue link: http://westworldmagazine.ama.ab.ca/i/309330
(illustration) william duke s u m m e r 2 0 1 4 | w e s t w o r l d A l b e r t A 63 pressing issue – traffi c conges- tion. Environmentalists like them because fewer cars on the road means fewer emissions. People with limited or no access to a personal vehicle like them because they off er another way to get from point A to B. Car sharing is nothing new in Calgary, though. Calgary Alternative Transportation Co-operative has long off ered a service whereby members have access to vehicles ranging from fuel-effi cient cars to mini-vans. And there are numerous less- organized ride-sharing programs operating in the city. But by far the biggest entry in Calgary's car-sharing market has been car2go. e Daimler-owned company hit Calgary streets in the summer of 2012. Within 60 days, 15,000 drivers had signed up. In less than two years, that Environment Week is June 1–7, 2014 Visit AMA's Drive the Future booth at NAIT June 7 for gas-saving tips. drivethe futureexpo.com For more on Environment Week: environmentweek edmonton.com; calgary.ca a car2goer rates his vehicle's condition on a touch screen. Carpooling Conundrum Traffi c congestion and oil prices are up, but ride sharing is down: what gives, Alberta? BY JUSTIN BELL A lbertans think it's a good idea, but it's still an underutilized tool: car- pooling. Driving to work with fellow commuters is both economically and environ- mentally friendly, but people are often afraid to dip their toe into car-sharing waters. "if you look at the research that's been done, a lot of Albertans think it's a great idea," says Liam Crotty, AMA program coordinator for environment and motoring. "Just not a good idea for them." Commuters recognize the importance of carpooling. They even understand the economic return of sharing a ride, and the environmental advantages of having fewer cars on the road. But there are a number of barriers: "Some people don't feel comfortable putting their personal information out there," says Crotty. So one way of getting commuters carpooling is to work with companies who can encourage employees to pair up with co-workers. Anne Marie Thornton, executive director for carpool.ca, says an all-or-nothing attitude toward carpooling also prevents some commuters from banding together – but even occasional carpooling nets benefi ts. "They don't consider doing it once or twice a week," says Thornton, pointing out that there are a number of options when it comes to carpooling, such as using transit: "Commuters can carpool in to work and take the bus home." Carpooling even once per week can remove 20 per cent of the cars on the road, decreasing infrastructure costs, reducing your environmental footprint and saving on gas. And, as Crotty points out, carpooling has one fi nal advantage in Alberta's winters: an already warm ride on a cold morning. According to the 2011 Census, only 5.4% of the working population in Calgary, and 5.5% in Edmonton, commute as passengers, down from 7.5% and 7.8% in 2006. p60-67EnvironMotoring2.indd 63 14-04-29 9:39 AM