By W. Thomas Leroux
My wife and I got our first car in the fall of 1999, a little red used Volkswagen Golf that we absolutely loved. Initially, we used it for trips to visit our families or for our vacations up to Algonquin Park. Over time, we used it for more mundane things like picking up groceries or visiting friends in Ottawa. About a decade later, we replaced it with another used car that we eventually gave away when it reached the end of its life in late 2015.
We did contemplate replacing it, but when we actually looked at how we used the car, we realized that nearly all of our car trips could have been done on foot, by bike, transit, or the occasional taxi. Since then, we’ve lived car-free, and are not having the associated hassles or expenses. Apparently, car ownership now costs Canadians around $1,300 per month1.
For groceries (our most frequent errand), we walk to the store and back, which is a free weight-bearing exercise for us that helps keep our bones strong. Most of my work-related travel is well within cycling distance (20km) or a walk and transit. We maintain a “car day” list of to-dos for days when we get a car to run far-flung errands all in one day.
We would occasionally rent cars for our family trips or vacations, until Communauto arrived on the scene, so my wife signed up for it. We’ve been using it ever since, for car-days, trips out of town to visit family, and even for our trips up to Algonquin Park. On our last trip, we got to try a Toyota hybrid which was a novel experience.
The main differences that I can see between Communauto and renting cars is that the rentals are usually almost brand-new vehicles, and you have to pay for insurance and the fuel you use. In addition, you have to deal with the narrow window of the rental office’s business hours (this has, on many occasions, resulted in our paying for two days of rental for a vehicle we needed for four hours).
With Communauto, all costs are included in the package we chose, and the vehicles can be picked up usually within a few of blocks of our home (sometimes farther, based on availability). So far, in all our uses, this option has been less expensive and more convenient. Need a car for an hour? Easy.
Car-sharing isn’t perfect, of course. The last time we used it, the previous driver was a few minutes late getting the car back, but we called Communauto, who located the car, said that it was on its way back to the pick-up point, and should be there shortly. Another time, the back seat was covered in dog hair. Not a big deal – take photos and report via the app.
The introduction of electric bikes (they have a battery and an electric motor that can assist the rider) has made cycling an option for so many people, giving them the ability to go up hills more easily as well as being able to go farther with less effort.
Over the past decade, the city has made good progress in making it easier for people to get around with different modes of transportation. For example, for cycling the city has added protected bike lanes, and now maintains some of the recreational paths year round. Other options include the e-scooter pilot project, or even walking. The reality is that a vehicle is only one of the tools in the mobility toolset that we have.
Based on my observations lately, we do need to do some work on increasing the number of safe parking spaces for cyclists across the city. That said, it has never been easier to live life without a vehicle in Ottawa. Might be worth a try!
[1] https://www.ratehub.ca/blog/what-is-the-total-cost-of-owning-a-car/
