GoCar spending €10m on fleet expansion

Paul McNeice, Head of Country for GoCar.

The GoCar vehicle sharing service is investing €10 million in the expansion and enhancement of its current vehicle sharing services across Ireland, writes Brian Byrne. The investment will support increased vehicle availability and wider vehicle choices for customers throughout the country. 

A total of 280 new vehicles will be added across 149 locations, catering to both urban and rural communities. GoCar’s fleet has seen a rise from 820 vehicles in January 2023 to 930 vehicles in July 2023, with the current investment supporting further increase to more than 1,100 vehicles in over 600 locations across 24 counties nationwide by the end of the year.

GoCar will also be launching a new website and app and a new loyalty programme will be introduced, rewarding repeat customers for their continued use of car sharing services, with the launch planned for late 2023. 

GoCar invests €1m in car sharing service

Car sharing service GoCar has announced an investment of over €1 million in the expansion of its car sharing fleet across new locations nationwide this year, writes Trish Whelan. 

The investment will primarily fund the provision of a new fleet of cars and vans in line with growing demand among the general public since the Covid-19 pandemic. By the end of 2022, the company forecasts a 15pc increase in car sharing locations throughout Ireland compared to 2020 and will have more than 700 car sharing locations nationally this year with more than 900 vehicles available to rent by the hour. 

Over the past two years, GoCar has been growing beyond its traditional urban centres in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway and now has car sharing available in many locations throughout counties Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford, Kildare, Meath, Louth, Mayo, Wicklow, Westmeath and Kerry. 

GoCar allows customers to rent cars and vans from €10 per hour. Registered users can book via the GoCar app, then unlock the vehicle with their phone; the keys are inside the car, with fuel, insurance and Dublin city parking all included in the rental price.

 

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Cities need to 'dissuade' people from owning cars: GoCar

Vincent Wall, moderator; with Dr Cara Augustenburg; Sheila Struyck; Owen Keegan; Anne Graham; and Colm Brady at The Future of Multimodal Transport.

The freedom of owning a car has been 'offset' down the years by 'too many cars, and pollution', according to the new MD of the GoCar car sharing company in Ireland, writes Brian Byrne.

And Colm Brady says that cities need to embrace the concept of 'dissuading' people from owning cars and thus help reduce car ownership.

He was speaking at an event in Dublin to mark the company's 10th anniversary, The Future of Multimodal Transport.

Mr Brady has replaced Colm Menton, who has retired, at the helm of GoCar and Europcar Mobility Group Ireland.

There are now more than 450 GoCar vehicles in service in Ireland, and by the end of next year the company expects to increase that to 1,000. In addition to private driver usage, GoCar now offers a corporate car pool scheme.

At the event in the Wood Quay Centre, Colm Brady noted that the the number of people using the service has grown to over 30,000 nationally, and that this would reach 100,000 in a year.

"GoCar is now operating in 18 counties and we have seen a 600pc increase in journeys using our vehicles over the last three years," he told those attending, adding that a recent initiative that allows users of Leap cars to access the fleet 'was a game-changer'.

He also outlined the adoption of electric vehicles by the company, with the support of BMW and Renault, which resulted in 1,700 electric car journeys over the last two years.

Asked if he thought it would be difficult to 'wean' the private owner away from owning a car, he said he didn't think so, because people were beginning to realise the real cost. "The figures are there, produced by the AA. The more we talk about it, the more people will think about how much their car is costing them. Increasingly, if people are thinking of changing their car, they might consider whether car sharing is the way to go for them?"

He also noted that local authorities are now ready to change their planning regulations to include car sharing as part of their town and city plans. "One effect of this will be a lesser need for car space," he said.

The event featured a keynote speech from Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross TD, followed by a panel discussion involving Dr Cara Augustenburg, Lecturer in Environmental Policy in UCD; Colm Brady, MD of GoCar & Europcar Mobility Group Ireland; Anne Graham of the NTA; Owen Keegan, Chief Executive of Dublin City Council; and Sheila Struyck, MD of the Business Unit, Europcar Mobility Group.

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GoCar celebrates 10,000 sign-up milestone

GoCar, Ireland’s largest car sharing club, has reached a milestone 10,000 sign-ups since launching in 2008, writes Trish Whelan.

To celebrate, and make car sharing accessible to more drivers across Dublin, GoCar is offering new memberships to the public at €10 for a limited period (a reduction of 80pc on the usual sign-up fee of €50) in addition to new, pay-as-you-go pricing.

New pricing will eliminate monthly subscription fees for drivers and allow them to drive a GoCar vehicle from €8 per hour, with 50km of driving included on every trip at no additional cost.

Drivers will also enjoy free parking at any Dublin City pay-and-display parking space across the city and incur no expense for fuel, NCGT testing, vehicle servicing, motor tax or insurance premiums.

Anyone 21 years of age, or over, with a full driver licence can avail of the car sharing service and have access to over 160 cars and vans across Dublin and Cork.

The reduced sign-up fee and pay-as-you-go pricing is part of GoCar’s aim to provide a ‘convenient and cost-effective alternative to car ownership for more drivers across Dublin - from regular everyday users and those who occasionally need a second family car, to small and large businesses, as well as those who need a backup transport option following a breakdown or emergency.

GoCar plans to double its fleet of cars and vans in 2017 bringing the total num er of vehicles to 300 by the year end. Drivers can choose from a range of vehicles when booking with GoCar.

GoCar launches swappage scheme

GoCar, Ireland's only car sharing initiative, this week launched a swappage scheme for Irish motorists whereby car owners will be able to trade in their car for GoCar membership and credit, writes Trish Whelan. Cars of all makes, models and years will be accepted and the full market value of the car will be paid in GoCar credit.

This offer, redeemable until 31 January, is the first of its kind and provides Irish consumers with an option to move to a viable alternative to car ownership. The scheme will allow motorists budget for trips and ultimately save money by removing costs associated with owning a car.

GoCar membership includes vehicle insurance, NCT, maintenance, fuel and free parking in any of the 30,000 Dublin city centre locations.

GoCar's Managing Director, Colm Brady hope this swappage scheme will encourage more motorists to make the move to GoCar as their transport option'. "We know there is a large percentage of car owners out there who don't need access to a car full-time and are tired of paying high road tax and insurance premiums for a car they don't use a lot of the time. We designed this initiative with them in mind."

GoCar, which celebrated its first anniversary at the start of August of this year, now has a total membership of over 3,000. The Irish company will invest €600,000 over the next few months to meet this demand, increasing the overall number of GoBases to 75 and building the fleet of GoCars to 100.

GoCar celebrates One Year Anniversary

Ireland's only car sharing initiative, GoCar is celebrating its one year anniversary this week having set up in business on 1 August, 2013, writes Trish Whelan.

To celebrate, GoCar is offering to wave the €50 sign-up fee for the service for anyone who joins before midnight on 1 August as well as offering the first hour of use completely free of charge.

Colm Brady, Managing Director of GoCar Ireland says in the last year GoCar has surpassed all expectations accumulating almost 15,000 trips, growing its fleet to over 70 vehicles, and enjoying a membership base of over 2,000 people.

He hopes to exceed 20,000 trips this year and to add more bases across Dublin. The start of July saw a new base added to the UCD campus and Colm Brady expects further additions at St Stephen's Green and Merrion Square in the coming months.

GoCar allows the freedom to access a vehicle when and as people need it. Members using on-street GoCars aren't charged for parking at any pay-and-display parking space. The service also removes the stress and cost associated with NCT's, vehicle servicing and insurance premiums.

Dublin City Engineer/Director of Traffic, Michael Phillips says the entire scheme 'can only be described as a complete success'.

Michael Phillips is pictured above with Colm Brady.

GoCar expands fleet with Ford

GoCar, the new car sharing scheme, has expanded its fleet to include several new 2011 Ford models for its growing Dublin customer base.

Cars on offer include Ford's Fiesta and Focus models as well as Ford Transit vans.

GoCar (think Dublin Bikes but with cars!), has also expanded its number of dedicated parking spaces in Dublin with the opening of two spaces on South Lotts Road, close to the busy south city business sector of Grand Canal Dock.

This means GoCar are now able to provide their car-sharing service to a wider number of customers in Ringsend and surrounding south city areas. The service can provide a car at €4.75 per hour.

A car can be reserved online, and the customer just turns up and drives it away.

Other dedicated parking spaces are at Pleasants Street, Dublin 2; Ranelagh and Rathmines, Dublin 6; and Smithfield, Dublin 7. GoCar plan to have 15 city-wide locations by the end of this year.

Pictured above are a Dutch, an American and a Belgian customer with GoCar Managing Director Marc Rafferty at the site of the new dedicated parking spaces on South Lotts Road.

Full details of the service and a short video on how it works, as well as information on how to sign up are available at www.gocar.ie