Evo Car Share vehicles can now park for free in metered Vancouver spots
Posted September 12, 2019 10:04 am.
Last Updated September 12, 2019 1:45 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A new pilot program in Vancouver has the city offering free parking at meters for Evo car share vehicles.
Starting Sept. 12, anyone who uses Evo can park at city meters without charge. This adds 10,077 parking spots to the Evo network, which operates 1,500 hybrid vehicles across the Lower Mainland.
“You end the trip the same way you would anywhere else,” says Tai Silvey, vice president of car sharing at BCAA. “You just find an available meter that has no stopping restrictions and you end your trip and you’re good to go.”
City of Vancouver staff recommended the change earlier this year in an attempt to get more people to sign up for car sharing services, including Evo, Car2Go and Modo, and to get them out of their own vehicles.
According to the city report, 34 per cent of Vancouver adults have a car sharing membership and more than 60 per cent say they use car sharing as a way to save money, in addition to the environmental benefits of reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The report estimated the city could collect up to $250,000 per month from car sharing vehicles parking at meters.
Previously, the cars could only park in Resident Permit Parking and Resident Parking Only zones.
The free metered parking is currently not available in North Vancouver, Burnaby or New Westminster – only in Vancouver. Silvey says they plan to work with other municipalities to expand the practice. It does not include parking at meters that have no stopping rules.
With files from Alison Bailey and Lasia Kretzel
