New Haven Independent

Posted by: Nan Bartow | September 6, 2007 12:19 PM

What a great idea!! Let's use technology to help us build a greener,cooler, pleasanter city of zip cars, busses, walking and biking trails, and green spaces rather than ugly cement parking garages and hot paved parking lots. Thanks, Mike

Posted by: delegate | September 6, 2007 3:36 PM

My son uses zip-car in Philadelphia. He says it works great.

Posted by: Esbe | September 6, 2007 4:55 PM

In the future, the city should allow downtown developments to greatly reduce the amount of parking they have to provide, but only if they agree to provide dedicated spots to Zipcar (or a similar service.)

Posted by: Paul Wessel | September 7, 2007 3:52 PM

Zipcar, or Flexcar, a competitor, both said in the past that the market wasn't large enough in New Haven to sustain a program for them to run.

Market conditions may have changed in New Haven - that's one of the good things about dense resdentail development - or the business models of the companies may have changed - which Mary O'Leary's piece suggests.

Successful transit programs in college towns have always worked because the university, the public sector, and the transit providers collaborate in funding and operating their programs. A consultant looking at trolley routing was stunned that there was not more town-gown collaboration here. There's a study kicking around City Hall that talks about what has occured elsewhere.

It would greatly boost the interest of a Zipcar-type program looking at New Haven to have commitments from Yale University or a large employer, say Yale New Haven Hospital. People at those institutions, or people with influence over those institutions, should encourage them to collaborate with the City in creating a market where car-sharing is sustainable.

Posted by: Edward_H | September 8, 2007 11:52 AM

"No household needs their vehicle 24-7," said City Hall's Piscitelli.

No household needs their TV sets 24-7 either, yet many household have more than one TV due to the huge convenience having 2 television sets provide to a family. I must admit I am a bit wary whenever a government employee start making statements about what my family may or may not need. Has Piscitelli done any research to prove no household in New Haven needs their vehicle 24-7 or is this just his opinion?

Piscitelli aims at downtown renters or condo owners who would like to avoid owning a car at all, or who would like to own one car instead of two.
Piscitelli said he doesn't know at this point if the city would subsidize the program, or merely, like Yale, help to market and organize.

With all of the problems New Haven has I certainly hope Piscitelli does not intend on using tax dollars to subsidize zip cars for downtown renters. People make certain trade offs when they decide where to live. People who live downtown trade the lack of parking spaces for the convenience of living close to shops , theaters, restaurants and the like. People who decide to live in the suburbs trade private driveways and backyard space for the inconvenience of having to drive a mile or more just to get some milk. Not every trade off people make in life needs government intervention.

The systems also free up parking space and potentially help keep the air cleaner in cities, because people who no longer own cars may walk or use buses more often to get around town

Has any other city seen a decrease in car ownership once zip cars have been made available? How do Zip cars free up parking space when implementing the plan adds more cars to the city? Has anyone thought that maybe people who would normally car pool, walk, bike or use buses will now opt for the convenience and privacy of a zip car?

One would serve people who live in central downtown buildings like the Eli. A second would serve city employees; the idea would be either to reduce the city's fleet or to avoid buying new vehicles. Another version would incorporate both ideas.

I would be interested in hearing more about this portion of his plan. If city employees could use zip cars instead of having the City purchase and maintain vehicles this sounds like a possible cost savings to me. You don't often hear of anyone in New Haven government actually come up with a plan to save taxpayers money.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | September 9, 2007 8:14 PM

I say Bravo two. It works in Boston why not New Haven.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | September 10, 2007 6:20 AM

How Come New Haven Doesnot Have A 24Hr Transit System This Would Help.

Posted by: Andrew Sewell | September 10, 2007 2:26 PM

I just got here from Boston and am quickly discovering that it's impossible to live here without a car, particularly if you occasionally have to visit adjoining towns. If zipcar is coming, though, then I may hold off on buying a car. That answers ONE of Edward_H's points, anyway.

Posted by: dana b | September 10, 2007 5:12 PM

To Edward H.,

You raise some good issues, but I think the zipcars should get some government funding if the program needs it, at least for a start-up period

Programs that provide a public benefit often benefit some persons more than others. The zipcar program would benefit downtowners more than me, since I live in an outlying neighborhood, pay less in rent, but have to drive more.

But if fewer residents downtown need to use street parking and lot space downtown, there's more room for me to use the downtown while easily finding a space for the car. That's a direct benefit to me and to the merchants downtown who might not otherwise get my business.

There will probably be less chronic congestion downtown and pollution in general. So even if I don't benefit directly, I'll benefit indirectly. That's the indirect benefit.

The same argument can be used for funding public schools. I have no children in public schools, but I benefit indirectly and in diffuse ways from the next generation getting some semblance of education and skills.

I am willing to contribute tax dollars to the public good, especially when no market solution is yet directly at hand. If Zipcars need a public boost, please, let's give that to the program.