On Monday morning, Car2Go sent users on Bowen Island a message informing them that the company has decided to discontinue service at Horseshoe Bay as of Thursday March 31. The reason for their decision, as stated in the press release, is a lack of balance in trips to and from the ferry terminal resulting in the cars sitting unused for extended periods of time. Bowen commuters reacted swiftly to the news, writing to Car2Go and commenting on social media with proposed solutions to keep the service running.
Lindsey Tourand says that without some kind of car sharing system that is accessible from Horseshoe Bay, his family may have to consider purchasing a second vehicle.
“I immediately wrote to Car2Go explaining how vital their service is to me,” said Tourand. “It allows me to catch earlier flights for business, to work late and attend functions in Vancouver. It fills in the gaps when other transportation methods fail. I told them I would be willing to pay a drop-off fee in Horseshoe Bay if it meant the service could continue.”
Ken Simpson said he would also be willing to pay an increased drop-off fee of $20 on Fridays (the current Friday drop-off fee is $10).
“I use Car2Go several times per week as it allows me to get home on the 2:25 ferry,” says Simpson. “Without Car2Go, I will probably end up bringing my car over to the mainland during weekdays. My parking costs will likely be $300 - $350 per month, which is far more than what I am currently paying to Car2Go.”
Simpson adds that two years ago, when he was a member of the Bowen Island Municipal Transportation Advisory Committee (BIMTAC) he had a conversation with a representative from Car2Go who said that there was no way the service would come to Bowen, as it was already a stretch to have it in Horseshoe Bay.
“I feel really frustrated right now, because they never came back to us users to ask for suggestions about how to make the service work better, they just cancelled it,” says Simpson. “I really hope they get flooded with good ideas, and re-consider their decision.”
On Monday evening, members of council discussed ways of advocating for commuters facing this disruption. It was noted that showing support for a private business is a conflict of interest to the municipality, and that as a private business, Car2Go is under no obligation to hold public consultations. Still, council did decide to write a letter to the company highlighting the importance of the service to Bowen and concerns about its discontinuation.
