car2go N.A., LLC announced today the public launch of Austin’s new mobility program. May 21, 2010 marks the date that all residents will have access to car2go for their personal mobility needs. car2go also announced that it would extend the successful pilot partnership with the City of Austin for an additional six months.
“Partnering with the City of Austin and our other beta user groups has been a tremendous success,” said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go N.A. LLC. “We have been able to use the pilot program to gather practical experience in order to ensure that car2go is a mobility solution that will exceed our customers’ expectations. We look forward to opening car2go to all Austin residents and providing everyone a progressive solution to getting around this great city.”
car2go’s public launch event will take place on May 21, 2010 in Republic Square Park at Guadalupe and 5th Street. The event will be free and feature many activities for Austin families and members of the community. Austinites will have the opportunity to register for a car2go membership at the event, but can also pre-register online beginning April 21, 2010 and pick up their membership cards onsite at the event.
The public unveiling of car2go follows a very successful pilot program with the City of Austin starting in November 2009. Under the agreement, all car2go members are allowed to use on street parking in Downtown Austin. For the provided parking, car2go is paying a usage fee to the City of Austin in the form of driving minutes for their employees’ business trips. As it has been such a success, car2go and the City of Austin will extend the partnership until November 2010.
Launched in 2009 as a pilot project, car2go has established several pilot partnerships in Austin over the past months beginning with the City of Austin. In February 2010, car2go joined forces with LIVESTRONG, an Austin-based cancer support organization founded by champion cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong. At the end of March, car2go announced a partnership with the State of Texas providing State employees the opportunity to become members. And in April 2010 car2go welcomed the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Central Texas as a new partner.
About car2go NA, LLC
car2go is an innovative mobility program with its North American headquarters located in Austin, Texas. A subsidiary of Daimler, car2go revolutionizes urban transportation by offering an extensive fleet of environment-friendly smart fortwo vehicles for rent. Unlike car-sharing programs, car2go vehicles can be accessed “on-demand,” and members may use the vehicle for as long as they like, without committing to a specific time to return the vehicle. The driver can complete the rental in any available public parking space within the greater downtown Austin area or at one of the specially marked car2go spaces.
