Dreaming of a world with cleaner air and less traffic? Us too. The Victoria Car Share Co-op is dedicated to helping the environment and making an impact. Join us, and learn more about what the VCSC and its members are doing.

Nearly 60% of greenhouse gas emissions in the Capital Regional District come from tailpipe emissions. Car sharing can help reduce emissions by taking cars off the road, and encouraging use of multi-mode transportation including walking, cycling, and busing. Studies have shown that one car share vehicle effectively replaces 5 to 20 vehicles. Car share members walk, cycle, and use public transit more than car owners, and former car owners drive up to 72% less once they start car sharing.

Car sharing and less cars on the road lead to:

Fewer cars manufactured
Less emissions
Reduced parking requirements for municipalities and private developments
Fewer public costs (infrastructure, parking, and enforcement)
Alternative land-use (public parks)
Less accidents and reduced insurance expenses
Safer and healthier communities

Our Action

Our goal is to become a cornerstone of the sustainable transportation network in Greater Victoria. Our fleet is comprised of late model fuel efficient small sedans (including hybrid-electric and Smart Car vehicles). Our monthly maintenance and regular tune-ups promote fuel efficiency. Our strategic plan includes priorities for environmental leadership:

• Conducting annual greenhouse gas inventories and developing reduction strategies
• Improving the environmental performance of our fleet
• Educating members on fuel efficient driving and route planning
• Creating green office purchasing guidelines

Access our greenhouse gas audit for 2009/10.

How Members Can Help

By driving smart and following the tips provided below, members can reduce their environmental impact and greenhouse gas emissions. Reductions in fuel use means that we can keep our expenses and rates lower. Through smart driving, accidents are avoided, which prevent costly collisions. This information was adapted from the Transportation Tune-up. Please contact us if you have an innovative idea or suggestion!

Before your trip

Plan the route: Think about the tasks you want to accomplish and the best order to do so. You can use Google Maps to determine the most efficient way of getting to and from your destination.

Drive when no one else does: Plan your trips around traffic. Avoid trips between 8:00 to 10:00am and 4:00 to 6:00pm. You'll get to your destination quicker, safer, and more economically (shorter trips). Not to mention the stress you will save from not driving during congestion periods.

Combine short trips: It pays to combine errands such as buying the paper, dropping-off dry cleaning, or collecting the kids into one trip rather than making multiple short trips. Pick one or two days a week for your errands - you car share bill will thank you too!

Right-size your ride: One advantage of car sharing is that you have access to a "library" of many cars. Use a small sedan to go for ice-cream and bigger cars for picking up family from the ferry. When booking a car, you filter your search to look for low emission vehicles.

Car pool and share your ride: Use Jack Bell Ride Share or other providers to find passengers. Craigslist, UsedVictoria, and UVic bulletin boards also offer ride share/car pool connections. Sharing you ride can reduce per trip emissions and save you money!

During your trip

Leave promptly: Don't start the engine until you're ready to go. This avoids fuel wastage due to unnecessary idling and ensures that the engine warms up as quickly as possible.

Stick to the limits: Drive within the speed limit - the faster you go the greater the fuel consumption and the greater the pollution too. Vehicles operate at their most efficient between 55km/h and 90 km/h. At 100km/h fuel efficiency goes downhill rapidly. By 120 km/h tires and gas are used up 20 percent faster. Obeying speed limits and signs significantly reduces your chances of a costly accident.

Easy does it: Drive smoothly, accelerate gently and read the road ahead to avoid unnecessary braking. When you have to slow down or to stop, decelerate smoothly by releasing the accelerator in time, leaving the car in gear.

Avoid jack-rabbiting: Starting and stopping quickly uses way more gas and is harder on the engine, transmission, breaks and tires. Plus it only saves 2.5 minutes per hour in urban conditions.

Less idling: Turn off your engine if you are stopped for more than 60 seconds. Canadians waste 630 million litres of fuel annually through excessive idling.

Cut down on the AC: Air conditioning increases fuel consumption at low speeds, but at higher speeds the effects are less noticeable. So if it's a hot day it's more economical to open the windows around town and save the air conditioning for highway driving.

Turn it off: Any electrical load increases fuel consumption, so turn off your cell phone charger, rear wind screen, blowers and headlights when you don't need them.