SEATTLE – Today Rep. Zack Hudgins (D-Tukwila) introduced legislation to open up Washington to the personal car sharing market.
The bill, HB 2384, would allow personal peer to peer car sharing in Washington State that is safe, convenient and affordable. Car sharing empowers people to travel more efficiently and cause a shift from personal to shared transport. It can trim emissions, traffic accidents, fuel costs, need for costly parking, while it generates income for car owners, and stimulates the local economy.
“There are tens of thousands of cars in our state that just sit in parking lots and driveways doing nothing most of the day,” said Rep. Hudgins. “Well, what if there was a way to put your car to work for you, earn a little extra cash and makes our transportation system more efficient and less polluting? This legislation will open the doors to a straightforward free market that helps everyone get around easier and more conveniently.”
Peer to peer car sharing is a way to let automobile owners earn some additional money from their cars, which usually sit idle 23 hours out of the day, and help those who want the freedom of not dealing with the costs and burden of owning a car to still have convenient, affordable access to a car when they need it.
Due to a variety of reasons, such as generational shifts, the continually rising costs of gas prices and insurance coverage, more people are looking for alternatives to owning a car. Today, while hourly car rental services exist in Washington’s larger cities, car-sharing vehicles are not available to most of the state. At the same time, there is a large supply of cars available in every parking lot, garage, and driveway for individuals who need to use a car for a short time.
The proposed legislation would open the door for individuals to rent out their cars via a car sharing company, allowing those who need to drive to use a car access to one and in return, car owners have a new business opportunity to earn extra income to help cover the cost of car-ownership.
The car sharing legislation would establish simple and clear rules and standards for private peer to peer car sharing that clarifies issues of insurance and liability.
“As someone who chooses to live without a car, I know the benefits of car sharing. Existing car-sharing companies, like Zipcar, allow me to get to meetings when I am time pinch for time or traveling to areas without transit,” said Andrew Austin, Field Director for Transportation Choices Coalition. “This bill will open up car-sharing to everyone across the state, benefiting car-owners, people like me who live without a car, and our entire transportation system.”
