How does it work?
Why do people like it so much?
I love the low cost, but why is there an hourly and a mileage fee?
What does it cost to take a trip in a City CarShare car?
What plans do you offer?
Is the ShareLocal plan for me?
Is the SharePlus plan for me?
Can I create a household account?
Did you say I can reserve cars in 15-minute increments?
What if I want to take a long-distance trip?
What does One Year Commitment mean for the SharePlus plan?
Can I switch plans?
What about insurance?
Do you have premium cars?
Can my pets smoke in the car?
Tell me about the deposit?
Are there other fees I should be aware of?

Why is City CarShare a nonprofit?


How does it work?   BACK TO TOP
Car sharing gives you access to a network of locally placed vehicles at unstaffed locations, for hourly use. The fees you pay include gas, maintenance, and premium insurance. We have hundreds of cars in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland and El Cerrito.

When you join you get an electronic key called a fob that provides secure access to all our cars, which you share with other members. Just make a reservation, access the car with your fob, and drive away. It's that simple.


Why do people like it so much?   BACK TO TOP
City CarShare, a Bay Area non profit, reduces your driving costs and gives you access to a car without the hassles of car ownership. In addition, City CarShare members make a positive impact on our environment and help improve quality of life in the Bay Area.

Most studies say that owning a car costs over $500 or more each month. But the average City CarShare member spends under $50/month. With City CarShare, you save money while helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and congestion in our neighborhoods.

Plus, the convenience and reliability of City CarShare are unparalleled. Gas, premium insurance, maintenance, cleaning, and even reserved parking are all included — plus you get access to different kinds of cars like hybrids, MINI Coopers, trucks and compacts. All of this and you're helping to save the environment, reduce congestion, and improve the quality of life in the Bay Area.


I love the low cost, but why is there an hourly and a mileage fee?   BACK TO TOP
Our fee structure saves you money. If we charged a flat rate per hour, people who drive locally would be subsidizing people who drive longer distances. Yet we know from our records that most City CarShare trips are local: averaging 3¼ hours and 12-18 miles. So we've chosen to stick with a pricing strategy that benefits the majority of our members. Plus our reservations are booked in 15-minute increments, so you never have to pay for a full hour you don't need. Our strategy also promotes more efficient driving, freeing up cars for sharing and benefiting our environment by lowering emissions, using less gas, and reducing congestion.


What does it cost to take a trip in a City CarShare vehicle?   BACK TO TOP
The cost of a trip depends on your needs. We keep our hourly fee low because we know that 90% of car sharing trips are local (i.e. low mileage) but may require a few hours to complete. On average, our members pay about $6.00 to $6.50 for each hour they drive—this includes hours and miles.

In addition, if you drive during Night Owl hours (midnight to 8 a.m.), your hourly cost drops dramatically — to $1/hour or even zero, depending on which plan you have.

And at just $40/trip and 10¢/mile, our Extended Freedom Trips give you the flexibility to travel longer distances without breaking the bank.


What plans do you offer?   BACK TO TOP
We keep it simple. In general, you drive for $5/hour and 40¢/mile, then select from a list of extras designed to meet your specific needs. For most individuals and households, our ShareLocal or SharePlus plans make the most sense. We also have plans for businesses, colleges, hospitals, and other institutions. Click here to see these special plans.


Is the ShareLocal plan for me?   BACK TO TOP
If you drive a few times per month or less, and most of your driving is local, this is the plan for you. Membership is only $10/month and there is no annual fee or commitment. You only pay $1/hour from midnight to 8 a.m., and you get up to 4 Extended Freedom Trips per year for longer distance driving to use at your discretion.


Is the SharePlus plan for me?   BACK TO TOP
This is a great plan if convenience, flexibility, and a low price for longer distance trips are important. If you drive a few times per month or more and know you'll take more than a few longer distance trips, sign up for SharePlus. Membership is $20/month. There's a fee if you cancel your membership in the first year, but you pay no annual fee and there is no monthly driving commitment. You also get lots of added convenience — including 10 Extended Freedom Trips plus the option to buy more, free Night Owl hours, and no surcharges for premium cars. Local driving averages just $6.50/hour and there is no annual fee.


Can I create a household account?   BACK TO TOP
Yes! You can easily add up to four people on your account. You'll get one bill for your household account — plus your household shares the monthly fee and the $300 fully refundable deposit.


Did you say I can reserve cars in 15-minute increments?   BACK TO TOP
You bet. Want to pick up some fresh veggies at the Noe Valley farmer's market? Need to go to Elephant Pharmacy for some aspirin and a yoga mat? Reserve for less than hour. Or if you're going across the Golden Gate Bridge and are worried about delays, add an extra 15 minutes onto your reservation and lower your stress. It all adds up to convenience and savings for you.


What if I want to take a long-distance trip?   BACK TO TOP
You have several options with City CarShare. Our Extended Freedom Trips give you the opportunity to take that trip to Santa Cruz without emptying your savings account. Drive up to 24 hours and 200 miles for just $40 and 10¢/mile (40¢/mile after 200 miles). You can even link Extended Freedom Trips together for a weekend away.

Another option is to use City CarShare's special discount pricing to rent a car from City Rent-A-Car or Enterprise. For long-term, long-distance trips, car rental is a smart choice and we encourage you to check which option works best for your particular trip. For more information, email Member Services or call 415-995-8588.


What does One Year Commitment mean for the SharePlus plan?   BACK TO TOP
One Year Commitment means you agree to join the plan for a full year. If you cancel before the end of your first year, there is a $100 fee. After the first year, there is no fee for canceling. If you switch plans before the end of the first year, there is a $50 administrative fee.


Can I switch plans?   BACK TO TOP
Yes! If you upgrade from ShareLocal to SharePlus, there is no fee. If you switch from SharePlus to ShareLocal within the first year, there's a $50 administrative fee ($25 after the first year). All other members can upgrade to ShareLocal or SharePlus any time for no fee.


What about insurance?   BACK TO TOP
Glad you asked. City CarShare has one of the best insurance plans in the industry. You're covered up to $1,000,000 per incident. Chances are you can't get better coverage than that! All you're responsible for is a $500 deductible if you have an accident. If you want to lower that deductible to $50, choose Buck to Deduct each time you reserve a car. It's just $1/hour, with a maximum of $6 per trip.


Do you have premium cars?   BACK TO TOP
City CarShare offers many types of cars and all vehicles are at or near the top of their class for fuel efficiency and lower emissions. There is an additional $2/hour charge for our MINI Coopers and Honda Elements for most plans. SharePlus members pay no additional fee.

We'll continue to add MINI Coopers, Elements and other cars based on your needs, but we pledge to keep our premium cars to a minimum so that you're not forced to pay more for a car just because a standard-priced vehicle is not available.


Can my pets smoke in the car?   BACK TO TOP
Sorry, we don't allow pets or smoking in any of our vehicles. To keep our cars in peak condition, smoking is prohibited in all City CarShare vehicles. Also, due to allergies and sanitary conditions, pets are not allowed in our cars either. It is very costly (about $100 for each incident) to get smoke and/or pet hair out of our cars. Besides, getting into a stinky car or one that's filled with pet hair isn't fun for anyone. By not allowing pets or smoking, we can keep our costs low while giving all members access to clean cars.

Please note: this rule applies to pets, not service animals. Service animals are allowed in our cars, as long as they don't smoke.


Tell me about the deposit.   BACK TO TOP
City CarShare has a fully-refundable $300 deposit for individual and household memberships. As a local non-profit organization, we strive to serve our entire community by offering the lowest driving rates possible. The deposit helps us maintain our low prices by providing coverage when a member has trouble paying a bill or meeting his deductible in the event of an accident.


Are there other fees I should be aware of?   BACK TO TOP
Car sharing means sharing, and we're all relying on each other to take care of the cars, drive responsibly, and be respectful of each other's time and needs. Toward that end, all car sharing organizations have fees associated with the occasional glitch. For example, you should never smoke in our cars. Ever. We'll assign a charge (and maybe a cleaning fee) if you do. Or, if you're returning a car but running late, we might have to assign an "inconvenience fee" (although we'll bend over backwards to help you avoid it). To see a full list of fees and credits, click here.


Why is City CarShare a non profit?   BACK TO TOP
Launched in 2001 as a mission-based, socially responsible organization, City CarShare is dedicated to reducing individual car ownership and driving. Through car sharing, City CarShare and you — our members — reduce congestion, greenhouse emissions, and dependence on foreign oil while contributing to the greening of our cities. Together, we enable more responsible land use and encourage greater use of alternative transportation. And we do it all while lowering the cost of mobility and providing a convenient, reliable service to our members.

We have a unique and important role as a non profit. We encourage the growth of socially responsible car sharing — even among our competitors. We lead efforts to integrate car sharing into the transportation network and incorporate car sharing in new real estate developments and neighborhoods. As a non profit, we never have to make a decision to earn an extra dollar for investors. In fact, we strive to keep our fees low so our service is accessible to as many people as possible. And as a local non-profit, we put every dollar earned right back into the community.