Public car rental system soon also in Warsaw

Warsaw plans launching car rental in the formula of the so-called carsharing as soon as in the second half of 2017. Initially, there are to be from 300 to 500 cars. The expected fee for one minute of usage is 1.2 PLN and the city has already started to look for a company that could service such system.

The main objective of launching carsharing is retrieving city public space, which currently in a huge extend is occupied by private cars. According to long-term prognoses, one public car could replace around 10 private cars.

The main users of the public cars would primarily be inhabitants who use this type of transport from time to time. It is the group for whom the public car would be the best alternative. Of course, the rental will be available to anyone with a driving licence who made a prior booking in the system.

Users will pay per each commenced minute, although the actual rate is of course not currently known. The calculation needs to take into account how not to draw citizens away from public transport, and at the same time constitute an attractive alternative for citizens reviewing the rationale for keeping own car.

The system is to be implemented is such a way so it will not be the city who covers the costs of running the rental, but a selected company the city decides to grant a licence to. However, it will at the same time be the beneficiary of profits from users’ fees. It will also be allowed to gain profits from placing ads on the vehicles. City officials stress however that it is in the city’s interest to have the cars in the system share the looks.

In order to use a vehicle, one will need to register in the system (confirming possession of a driving licence) and find or book a free car. The process of renting is to be maximally simple and flexible – a mobile application and website registration will both be available, as well as a phone line.

The users are not to be expected to park the cars in designated places, but there is planned a possibility to return the cars in any legal parking spots in the area initially covering at least eight Warsaw boroughs. Despite the fact it will be only in these areas one will be allowed to return the rented cars, using them outside of the zone will be possible as well.

In the initial phase of the project the system is to offer inhabitants from 300 to 500 new cars. Interestingly, driving them will be possible until they reach maximally 100 thousand km of mileage. The cars rented by Warsaw residents will also not be allowed to have more than four years.

In accordance with the fundamentals assumed by the city, tenderers will be able to offer cars with three types of drive. These could be fossil fuel cars, but only low emission, meeting the Euro 6 standard, as well as hybrid or electric. One may draw a conclusion from the previous statements of officials that in the initial phase these will be fossil fuel cars, due to the fact the city does not have infrastructure for charging electric cars. Several hours of charging a car would in this case also mean holding it up from rental for the time.

However, everyone agrees functioning of electric cars in the city is desirable, and one should do all it takes to make them available in the next stages of rental system development.