● Lower household transportation costs● Shorten search for parking● Improve access to services & recreation● Reduce congestion & improve air quality
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Parking spaces are located on street and in municipal lots Users sign up for either zipcar or enterprise to unlock the car NYC DOT asked us to evaluate the current program NYC DOT put out a bid and only Zipcar and Enterprise were interested in participating Parking spots were purchased for $ Worked with local politicians & companies to determine which sites were feasible for the pilot Each site has two parking spaces Companies are responsible for maintenance and upkeep of spaces/cars
Introduction
4
OUR MISSION:
Create an ideal City-administered mobility program that is affordable, convenient, and sustainable to improve the quality of life of all New York City residents.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
We decided to create an “ideal” carshare program and present various recommendations to NYCDOT to create such program.
Benefits of Carshare
5
Average carshare vehicle removes 9 - 13 privately owned vehicles from the road
Enhances mobility
Affordable option to owning a car
Households reduce carbon
footprint by 0.84 tons/yr
ReducesVMT by 27%
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Carshare is a piece of a much larger puzzle of tackling issues such as climate change, equity, & access to transportation Carshare can help support citywide goals in plans laid out like PlaNYC
Issues
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● Operating carshare is logistically and
financially challenging
● CSOs are not expanding user base
beyond established markets
● One-way and two-way services cater to
different populations
● Accurate curb value has not been
assigned
● Average vehicle age increasing
● Insufficient enforcement of reserved
carshare parking spaces
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Large portions of the city are unserved by existing carshare options Members and target demographics are usually already carless Financial barriers prohibit low-income populations from joining
Purpose & Need
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Without intervention, carshare use may decline
and potential benefits may not be realized
● Population and private vehicle rates are
increasing
● Overburdened system - road and subway
● Increase in FHV use
● Environmental impacts - emissions & GHG
● Carshare not found in enough neighborhoods
● Not enough companies participating in carshare
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Population is increasing and private vehicle rates are also increasing Overburdened system - road and subway Environmental impact - emissions & GHG Without intervention, carshare use will continue to decline and may even be eradicated in New York City. The general public will remain unaware, and carshare operators will continue to locate two-way off-street and on-street operation in generally wealthy neighborhoods. The city’s above ground and underground transportation networks will continue to fail, and will remain congested at a stand still--only until the city funds the MTA’s financial debts and eradicates FHV services. Carshare services can mitigate and offset the negative consequences of failing underground transit, and above ground congestion. Newly developing neighborhoods can service unprecedented growth with a tertiary options, which allows users with the freedom of personal space, financial affordability and flexible operation.
Goals
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Suppress future automobile ownership
Reduce automobile ownership
Increase accessibility
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Met hodolog y
9
Examined case studies○ Car Next Door,
Australia: ○ Partnerships to offset
emissions
Conducted site visits○ Examined physical spaces &
carshare vehicles○ 35% of spaces blocked by
private vehicles
Created survey for DOT○ 13% of car owners
would consider selling their car if there was a convenient carshare service in their neighborhood
○ 50% use carshare for ‘recreational activities/vacations’
○ Main reason (57%) for not owning a car is ‘Alternative transportation modes more convenient’.
Presenter
Presentation Notes
We examined the carshare models of a dozen cities domestically and internationally looking for best practices and innovative models. Highlights of interesting aspects of carsharing in the United States and abroad: Electric vehicles and charging stations Fleet(BlueLA) of all electric vehicles (100 total) and 200 EV charging stations. Los Angeles Partnerships Car Next Door partnered with Greenfleet, a non-profit environmental organization that restores Australia’s forests, and planted 12,500 trees as a result of this partnership as of 2018. Australia DOT partnered with Amtrak to locate Carshare vehicles near Amtrak stations to assist with first mile, last mile issues. Germany has multi-modal transit hubs that link carshare, biking, walking and transit as well as providing electric charging ports so all carshare cars are electric. Portland Neighborhood interviews: Positive/ “I don’t think it is either negative or positive for our business. But, I think it’s a good idea for those who don’t have cars”. Negative The employee lived in the neighborhood for five years, and noted that one of the reasons why he sold his car because “It was so difficult to find parking.. And that the carshare program attributed to it.” “It’s unclear that the city operates the carshare program. I think the zipcar text should be replaced with the NYCDOT text.”
Recommendations
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1. Increase Awareness of Carshare
2. Designate Optimal Site Locations
3. Create Vendor Selection & Site
Distribution System
4. Design Unique and Recognizable
On-Street Reserved Spaces
5. Enforce Reserved Carshae Spaces
6. Reduce Cost of Carshare
7. Increase Carshare Data Sharing
8. Introduce Parking Permit Program
9. Develop Vehicle Buyback Program
10. Expand Mobility Options
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Intro Recommendations 1-10 How we got to the recommendations Some are independent Some are DOT specific
Recommendations
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1. Increase Awareness of Carshare
● Community Outreach and Political Organizing○ Public Events/Street Teams○ Establish Partnerships with CBOs
● Advertising and Marketing Campaign ○ Targeted Advertising ○ Companies & City
● Enhance Carshare Visibility
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Equity and Environment Goals/VALUES: Create a more diverse support base for long-term expansion of carshare across all neighborhoods in the City Informs a larger population of City residents about an alternative to car ownership Develop broad-reaching support for the program from community leaders and local residents by: Establishing new partnerships and coalitions with local organizations and community leaders. Focus on general advertising campaigns that will provide further education about the on-street carsharing program. City should consider establishing a formal public outreach plan Advertising and Marketing Enhance carshare space/vehicle visibility Bigger and more colorful signage, as well as unique and colored parking spots, will increase the visibility of cars and designated parking spots and by that will increase the public’s awareness Create Targeted Advertising - Sustainability, cost-savings, etc. Create various segmented advertising campaigns that will promote the carshare program throughout NYC’s diverse neighborhoods Target advertising to promote convenience, financial savings/affordibility, and environmental benefits
Values: Siting spaces in “optimal locations” both reduces car ownership, which allows users to save money for a better quality of life--and to bridge the failing transportation gap for those who need It most To select the optimal locations for reserved on-street parking spaces for carshare companies (zipcar, enterprise, and future participants) taking part in a carshare program for the city of New York several factors are considered amongst which included income, car ownership, proximity to transit, age (seniors), and disability. The model to select the optimal locations with the reduction of car ownership in these areas (census tracts) Within 1/2 mile from a subway station and The median income is greater than or equal to that of the overall median income for the city of New York which is $57,810. and Vehicle ownership rates are at or above fifty percent. The areas (census tracts) that satisfy all of the criteria above are deemed to be the optimal locations for having the most significant possibility of reducing car ownership. To address the needs of the the socioeconomically vulnerable (low income, elderly, and disabled) in inaccessible neighborhoods the optimal locations would be sited in areas not in close proximity to transit (“transit desserts”), poverty rates are relatively high, and a considerable population of seniors and or persons with a disability is present. The model to select the optimal locations with the needs of the socioeconomically vulnerable in inaccessible neighborhoods siting of reserved on-street parking spaces for carsharing vehicles will be placed in areas that meet the following criteria; Greater than 1/2 mile from a subway station. and Population living at or below the federal poverty rate is thirty percent or higher. and The senior population is greater than or equal to ten percent of the population. and / or The disabled population is greater than or equal to ten percent of the population. The areas(census tracts) that satisfy all of the above criteria are deemed to be the optimal locations for assisting and benefiting the socioeconomically vulnerable and those geographically isolated from transit.
Recommendations
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3. Create System of VendorSelection & Site Distribution
● Prioritization zones● Bundling spaces
○ High usage spaces vs low usage spaces
○ Desirable geographies vs less-desirable
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Values: By creating a system of prioritization zones of all neighborhoods in the city and bundling spaces in these zones for carshare usage to companies, this would ensure an equal distribution of carshare sites throughout all neighborhoods. Companies are more likely to locate in certain neighborhoods, yet a bundling system would create a more equitable and widespread carshare program. This would also ensure that carsharing expands into neighborhoods with less mobility options, decreasing transit deserts found in the city. CSOs will need to be financially incentivized to operate in neighborhoods they currently choose not to. Require CSOs to locate in all underserved neighborhoods. Spaces could be bundled so that, as an example, for every two high usage spaces a CSO uses, they must also provide a carshare space in an underserved neighborhood. To park their car in high utilization areas, absorbing the usage of high desirable public street space, they need to offer their services in an alternative neighborhoods as well.
Recommendations
14
4. Design Unique and Recognizable On-Street Reserved Spaces
Values: An ideal physical design has the potential to not only provide visibility to promote carshare operations and safety, but it can also activate parking spaces and sidewalks, include community stakeholders, promote sustainability and other modes of transportation. Lack of visibility hinders the public’s knowledge and understanding of the carshare program and does not contribute to growth of the existing program. Bigger and colorful signage, as well as unique and colored parking spots, will increase the visibility of cars and designated parking spots and by that will increase the public’s awareness - and car owners’ - about the carshare program. Visibility will highlight the convenience of the reserved parking aspect of carshare and pique the public’s interest in participating in NYC Carshare. Residential streets vs Commercial streets For both land uses, signage should be visible to all street users Street furniture such as: lighting, seating, tables, planters, kiosks and bike racks Branding (City vs Vendors) Located on signage, EV charger, car and street furniture Multi-use elements Street furniture such as: lighting, seating, tables, planters, kiosks. Could be modular, or movable? Promoted sustainability Porous material for carshare parking pad (concrete or asphalt) Lightly colored parking spots to reduce the heat island effect Promote sustainability Promote multi-modal paths of travel- for example- site citibike kiosks, e-scooters, etc nearby. Encourage one way carshare vendors to have reserved parking spots nears transit locations, etc. Ensure there are safe sidewalks and adequate lighting to encourage car to pedestrian travel. Include siting maps similar to citbike to show other nearby carshare locations as well as nearby transit options.
Comes together to make a distinct and recognizable reserved space
Recommendations
20
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Night scene
Recommendations
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5. Enforce Reserved Carshare Spaces
● Consistent parking enforcement ● Revenue generation● Improve system of reporting blocked
spaces
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Values: By increasing enforcement of illegally parked vehicles, this will increase ease of use and convenience for carshare users. Enforcement has been shown to be a major issue for the current carsharing program, while convenience of parking is a major priority for carshare users. By ensuring convenience for carsharing, this will increase membership and decrease current car ownership and suppress future vehicle purchases. Improved, increased, and consistent parking enforcement by NYPD of reserved spots is crucial to the success of NYC Carshare. Blocked spaces make using carshare more difficult and reduces convenience Revenue generated through increased ticketing to fund program expansion or subsidize memberships. Similar to “Idling Vehicle” ticket - citizens can report violators Possible countdown clocks at spaces - how long will reserved spaces be unoccupied?
Recommendations
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6. Reduce Cost of Carshare
● Subsidized memberships● Subsidize carshare services● Reduce NY State Tax on Carshare
Vehicles Rentals
Presenter
Presentation Notes
VALUE: Expanding economic access to carshare; discounts may enable low-income populations to join carshare as cost has been cited as a barrier to joining. Lower costs over all will remove this barrier and provide more mobility options to potential users. This will, in turn, enable more people to travel to destinations (like hospitals, relatives, outside NYC, etc.) that may have been prohibitive in the past without a car. Carshare rentals are taxed at the same rate as traditional car rentals New York State, the additional charge is 6% with another 5% added when the rental car is “delivered” As carshare is meant to benefit local populations as an alternative to owning a vehicle, reducing the tax on carshare, to the same as local sales tax or some comparable level, will lower the overall cost, as well as the barriers to entry. Offer promos & discounted memberships for low-income neighborhoods to expand access & mobility
7. Increase Data Sharing
● CSO provide more data to the City● Ensure personal data privacy● City uses data to improve carshare
Recommendations
23
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Values: Equity This type of data sharing provides valuable information into how to increase accessibility, manage traffic and improve road safety. The more we understand trends, the more we can provide solutions to equitably serve the mobility needs of all NYC citizens. Uber, Lyft, Via etc are all expected to share trip information… Carshare operators should be held to the same standards.
Recommendations
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8. Introduce Parking Permit Program
● Limit free parking● Create citywide permit system for
residential vehicles● Revenue generation source● Create more equal access to curb
space● Reduce total vehicle ownership
numbers
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Values: Equity and Environment Levels the playing field across more NYC neighborhoods on access to public curb space Incentivizes households to reduce number of vehicles owned Citywide Parking Permit System - Free parking subsidizes personal car ownership Permits would be market priced Benefits: Revenue to fund street level programs. Eliminate the need for drivers to move their cars on street-cleaning days. The revenue can pay for staff and equipment to clean under the parked cars. Cuts down on an annoyance for locals, and another major source of congestion and pollution. Prioritizes spaces for local drivers. Proposed Structure Establish fee schedule to apply for permit (depends on zone and/or number of vehicles in household) Permit requires proof of residency (reduces number of non-residents taking up parking spots) Boundaries for permit requirements would be organized by zones Implementation of new permit zones requires petition process where majority of residents on affected blocks must sign on to support.
9. Vehicle Buyback Program
● Remove older, higher emissions vehicles from the road
Value: environment: The Vehicle Buy Back program is designed to provide incentives, including monetary payments, to owners of older, more polluting vehicles to voluntarily retire their vehicles. The goal of the program is to reduce emissions by encouraging the accelerated retirement of the older more polluting vehicles. The Vehicle Buy Back Program provides a method to encourage drivers of older diesel vehicles to sell their vehicles in an effort to get them off the road. Program Highlights: Offering higher buy-backs for older vehicles, than the owner would receive in the normal market, incentivizes the owner to get rid of older, higher polluting vehicles Without the program, older vehicles may continue to be driven for some time Even if a newer vehicle is purchased, the newer vehicle will produce fewer emissions than the older vehicle Payments methods: One time payment for vehicle depending on make, model, and year To curb future vehicle purchases, a tax incentive will be available for households that choose to not purchase another vehicle after buy back (e.g. offering a tax incentive every year for 10 years for those who sold a vehicle and did not replace it) Program participants can also choose to receive carshare hours in lieu of a cash payment that will be applied to carshare trips
10. Expand Mobility Options
● Increase membership of those living more than ½ mile from a subway station
● Improve walkability, biking, and public transit
Recommendations
26
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Values to promote: increasing equitable access to the benefits of carshare by making it a viable option in areas that are transit deserts. Individual car ownership is prohibitively expensive, carshare makes the conveniences of car use available to more people regardless of income. People in transit deserts have less access to jobs which decreases their employment options. Creating viable one-way carshare in transit deserts can reduce travel times for workers. For example if a person in Queens lives far from the subway and has to spend two hours by bus, one-way carshare could be implemented to allow workers to drive from near their home to a subway station and commute to work from there. Improve environment- reducing individual car ownership can decrease total VMTs and GHGs as drivers have access to cars for targeted travel needs. Promoting one-way car share can increase multi-modal transit for example car to subway instead of driving a car or using a fhv for an entire trip. Public transit, bicycling and pedestrian infrastructures are needed to support carsharing in order for it to be successful People who live more than half a mile from subway have less transit opportunities so we need to expand their options with car share People who live more than ½ mile from train best served by 1-way 2-way is better for people in denser transit neighborhoods Promote one-way car share to improve access to transit and last mile problems for people in transit deserts. Create connectivity for improved multi-modal paths of travel. Support access to vehicular use for people unable to afford private car ownership for uses such as hospital visits, shopping, reducing long travel times to transit in areas with poor access to transit. Support reserved parking areas for one way carshare cars near transit options (so people far from transit can drive a one way carshare to transit)
Conclusion
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● Next steps● Limitations● Further research
Presenter
Presentation Notes
Conclusion: Next steps include: Finalizing our recommendations, making sure they are thoroughly thought out and explained for DOT to make them useful for them, in a step-by-step way so they are able to implement them if they find the recs to be of significance Finalizing our narrative and final report Presenting our final deck and report to our client, DOT Further research: For our studio, we would have liked (and attempted to obtain) more data from DOT and from the carsharing companies, however it was difficult to come by Hopefully our recommendation of mandating data sharing for all carsharing companies in the city will help solve this issue and help facilitate further carsharing research for New York City Audience suggestions: We would love to get feedback from the audience on any further areas of study, anything we are missing, or any suggestions you have for us for the final report and presentation to DOT If you were our client, what would you like to see?
