Carshare is great. It allows you to enjoy the benefits of having a car without the need to own one. It’s convenient, hassle free and means you can commute sustainability and still have access to a car if you need it.
Carshare vehicles can be reserved by the hour or by the day, giving you the greatest flexibility. Just book online and unlock the car with your membership card or app. It’s estimated that carshare members can save up to $600 a month compared with owning a car.
We looked at the different carshare providers in Toronto to help you decide which one is the best for you.
Communauto
The newest carshare company in the city is Communauto. They’re also the only company to allow one-way rentals so you don’t have to take the car back to where you found it. Within the Communauto Flex zone, you can enjoy the privilege of parking in resident-only zones. The downside is that the area is currently restricted to parts of the downtown core. Also unique to Communauto is the ability to use the car for as long as you want without having to book ahead. Just select the car you want, and you have 30 minutes to pick it up. Rates start at $0.41 per minute, $15 per hour and $50 per day. Gas, insurance and 150 km per trip are included.
Enterprise CarShare
Formerly AutoShare, Enterprise CarShare has a large number of vehicles across Toronto, and into Mississauga and Scarborough. There are 3 membership plans. The ‘Keep it Simple’ membership plan starts at $45 a year, with cars starting at $9 per hour and $85 per day. Gas, insurance and 200 km per day are all included in the membership fee for all plans.
Enterprise CarShare offers a variety of solutions for businesses and other organizations looking to provide employees with vehicles to use for business travel. These options can be a great alternative to fleet vehicles or employees having to use their own cars and can help you reduce expenses and administration.
Zipcar
One of the oldest carshare providers in the city, Zipcar has a large number of cars in Toronto and in more than 500 cities and towns around the world, making Zipcar a great option if you travel a lot. Membership costs $7 per month with driving rates starting from $14 per hour or $105.75 a day. Gas, insurance and 200km per day are all included in the membership fee.
Like Enterprise CarShare, Zipcar offers a variety of services for business. Get a free estimate of how much Zipcar would cost for your business here. Having carshare as an option available for employees allows them to cycle, transit, walk or carpool (as a passenger) to work.
Turo
Often referred to as the Airbnb of cars, Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental service. You can choose from hundreds of models across the city and even have the car delivered to you if you want. There’s no membership fee and cars can be rented by the day, week, or month.
If you have a car, you might want to consider making some extra cash by renting it to others when you’re not using it.
Want to know more about carshare? Consider joining the Smart Commute program where we can provide workshops for staff that delve deeper into the various carshare providers in your neighbourhood and help your employees get started.
We can also help your organization establish a carshare program at your workplace for business travel. A carshare program allows you to reap the benefits of having cars on-demand, no more mileage reimbursement and reduced costs while your employees can enjoy the benefits of not needing to use their own car for work. Contact us to find out more.
See our handy carshare chart to compare services.
*All prices correct as of April 2022. Rates and membership offerings are subject to change, always check with the carshare provider for the most up to date information.
*NOTE: As of April 2020, Maven carshare is no longer available in Toronto.
