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It wasn’t that long ago, before New York car share services were available, when automobiles were viewed as an environmentally friendly choice. Cleaner than horses, the automobile made it easier for individuals to access the world. The American fascination with cars and car culture is nothing new – for generations, buying your first car was practically a right of passage.

But that was then, and things have changed. Now, instead of mulling over which car to buy, Americans are now asking themselves whether or not they need a car at all.

The mix of a depressed New York car share economy, increased environmental awareness, and the rise of dis-ownership  has put a serious cramp in car enthusiasm. What started out as a small car-free movement has now taken the nation by storm, spawning alternative transportation options in practically every major metropolis, including right here in Brooklyn. Affordable, convenient and environmentally sound, more and more Big Apple residents are opting for New York car share transportation options – so why aren’t you?

Interested in joining the car-free movement? There’s never been a better time to throw away your keys and commit to the car share community. The following are a few simple tips to help make your shift to car-free living as easy as possible.

New York Car Share – How to Live Car-Free Tips

Tip #1 – Plan Trips Wisely

If you’re going to swap the convenience of your personal vehicle for a greener (and cheaper) New York car share option, planning will become a critical part of your daily routine. Making multiple trips to a grocery store in Williamsburg because you forgot the milk is easy when you have your own car. It can be a tad trickier to coordinate when you’re relying on public transit or a communal car share program.

Tip #2 – Break Old Habits

Did you know:

• 41 percent of urban trips in the U.S. cover a distance of less than 2 miles?
• 90 percent of those trips are made by car?
• 6 percent of them are made on foot?
• Less than 1 percent of these trips are made on bicycle?

Resisting the urge to grab your keys and go is tough when you have a vehicle taking up space in your driveway. Oddly enough, when you don’t have a personal vehicle staring you in the face, it’s easy to cut out these trips and be more conscientious of your driving habits. Our New York car share members have found this to be a beneficial side effect of joining the Carpingo community. Now, instead of driving around the corner for a late night snack in Crown Heights, our members make an effort to drive only when it’s absolutely necessary.

Tip #3 – It’s Not Where You’re Going, But How You Get There

The next time you’re planning to head out to visit a friend or run an errand in Fort Greene, consider whether or not a car is really necessary. If it isn’t, why not opt for a more adventurous form of transportation – like your bike or roller blades for instance? Sure, you’ll lose a little bit of the convenience and ease that driving offers, but the fresh air and fun that you’ll experience is always more enjoyable.

Tip #4 – Know Your Options

Living car-free doesn’t mean that you have to deny yourself the convenience of a personal vehicle. With Carpingo’s New York car share memberships, you’re never more than a click away from a safe, reliable and affordable temporary rental. Cheaper than a taxi, and more convenient than the subway or city bus, a Carpingo New York car share vehicle makes it easy to run errands according to your schedule.

Why We Should All Live Car-Free

It’s no secret that driving isn’t good for the environment, society, or us. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Driving a private car is probably a typical citizen’s most “polluting” daily activity.”

And that’s just the beginning.

The following are just a few statistics concerning personal vehicle usage in the United States. Imagine how much good could be accomplished if we all pledged to throw away our keys and focus our efforts on a car-free lifestyle?

• Number of U.S. cities (1000+ Population) in which 100% of households own a car (2000 census): 155 (source: www.bikesatwork.com)
• Average cost per year of owning and operating a vehicle (2008): $8,095 (source: United States Department of Transportation)
• Average percentage of household income Americans spend on transportation costs each year (2007): 17.65% (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Number of minutes per day the average American reports spending behind the wheel (2007): 87 (source: Gallup News Service)
• Amount of time the average 16 year-old American will spend driving a car in his or her lifetime (Figure based on 87 minutes per day average driving-time and a 77.8 year life-expectancy): 3.73 years (source: Gallup News Service and the United States Census)

For decades, city planners have focused on creating car-centric communities. From suburbs to strip malls, drive-through restaurants and gigantic parking lots, we’ve become accustom to accommodating the thousands of cars that crowd our urban centers.

Experience a different way of commuting. Start down the path to car-free living by joining Carpingo today.

Carpingo’s Brooklyn car share service can help make completing your daily errands much faster. Between soccer practice at Friends Field and PTA meetings, to grocery shopping in Williamsburg and dropping off the dry cleaning, paying bills and cooking dinner, it’s no wonder New Yorkers are constantly running around in a daze.

If the daily grind has you pulling your hair out, it might be time to rethink your approach. If you’re not careful, you can waste more than half of your spare time in your car driving from one of end of Brooklyn to the other. Wouldn’t you rather be spending that time relaxing, exercising or having fun with friends? That’s where a Carpingo Brooklyn car share comes into play!

Get your priorities straight. Accomplish your errands faster, easier and with less stress. Book a Carpingo Brooklyn car share today and complete your to-do list in just a few short hours. Here’s how to streamline your errands into one quick and efficient trip:

You Can Use a Brooklyn Car Share For…

1)    Group Errands

The golden rule of efficient errand running? Never, under any circumstance, run a single errand at a time. You’ll save time, energy, and stress by grouping your errands into intuitive groups. Write down all of the errands that require your attention this week. Are any located in the same neighborhood? Are any time sensitive? Simply having a plan can help you eliminate a ton of wasted time.

2)    Know When to Run Your Errands

Avoid long lines and traffic congestion by booking one of our Brooklyn car share vehicles during so-called “quiet times” (in other words, any time but on the weekend). Dropping your dry cleaning off during your lunch break, or grabbing some groceries on the way home from the office will help you avoid the crush of crowds and leave your weekends open for activities of your own choosing.

3)    Designate an Errand Center in Your Home

You’re not the only person in your home that has errands to run. Instead of tackling your to-do lists separately, combine them by creating a designated errand area in your home. This is where library books that need to be returned, or packages that need to be mailed, should be stored. This way, whenever someone is about to run out the door, they can quickly scan to see what errands need to be run.  If you’re lucky, you’ll have everything crossed off of your to-do list without even lifting a finger!

4)    Buy in Bulk

Grocery shopping in Brooklyn Heights can suck hours out of your life every month. The less time you have to spend browsing the aisles at the supermarket, the more time you’ll have to enjoy the things that really matter to you. The next time you’re out running errands in your Brooklyn car share, consider stocking up on mundane, non-perishable items (things like toilet paper, toothpaste, cat litter, etc.). Worried that storage space might be too tight in your Cobble Hill row house or Manhattan Beach condo? Most of these items will slip under your bed without much trouble.

5)    Keep Your Kids Out of the Mix

Toddler temper tantrums can really throw your daily routine for a loop. If possible, avoid tackling your to-do list with a testy child in the backseat of your Brooklyn car share. Instead, try and run some of your errands after your child has been put down for the night. Try it – you’ll be in and out of the supermarket in half the time it takes with children in tow.

If you can’t remove your kids from the errand equation, the least you can do is diffuse the situation with a few standard distractions. So stock your Brooklyn car share with snacks and toys. This will help you avoid meltdowns in the middle of Midtown. You can also combine errands with an afternoon outing to the park or some other child-friendly attraction (a quick cone at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory perhaps?). Simply extend your Brooklyn car share reservation using the on-board display.

6)    Be Tech-savvy

There are literally hundreds of apps out there designed to help you manage your to-do list and improve your errand efficiency. From online banking apps to restaurant reservations, the worldwide web can help you handle a seemingly infinite number of tasks, most of them from the comfort of your couch!

7)    Treat Yourself Right

Children aren’t the only ones who might need a little motivation during an afternoon of errand running. It’s normal to feel stressed and frustrated after waiting for an hour at the DMV. So go grab yourself a latte at Café Grumpy in Greenpoint, or a gourmet doughnut at Dough in Bed Stuy. This little pick-me-up will make it easier for you to complete the remaining items on your to-do list.

Getting everything done on your to-do list may seem like an impossible undertaking. But don’t let that discourage you. Once you learn how to better organize your tasks it will only be a matter of time before you find yourself freed from the confines of your car and the constant crush of errands by Carpingo’s Brooklyn car share service.

Get your errands done quicker behind the wheel of a Brooklyn car share vehicle. Join Carpingo today to start taking advantage of our convenient pay-per-use car share program.

It’s no secret that we live in a materialistic society. From the designer stores on Madison Avenue to the estate homes in the Hamptons, New Yorkers love to own beautiful things. But as the economy continues to move at a snail’s pace and budgets remain tight, it appears as though this affinity for ownership is about to be turned on its head with Carpingo’s New York car share service.

New York Car Share and the Shared Economy

It’s called the Shared Economy, and it’s the biggest shift in attitudes to happen since the consumerism caused by the industrial revolution. Instead of taking pride in what they own, New Yorker’s are now enjoying more value by owning less property. It’s a move that’s changing not only the social fabric of our vibrant city; it has the potential to redefine the American dream. From Carpingo’s New York car share to alternative energy and co-working spaces, sharing is the new standard of success in New York… and it’s something we couldn’t be more excited about!

We Live in a Sharable World

Dis-ownership isn’t about denying yourself the luxuries in life, rather, it’s a re-imagining of life’s necessities. Driven by online social networks, the concept of sharing and collaboration has become increasingly ingrained into our everyday lifestyles. Today, people are realizing that they can enjoy almost all of the benefits of owning, without any of the hassles or costs of buying. At Carpingo, our New York car share programs make it easier for you to avoid costly insurance and maintenance costs, but still enable you to enjoy the freedom of a personal vehicle.

For the first time in a long time, the mantra of “I want, I need, I must have,” is starting to fade. Stuff is no longer the ultimate status symbol. Now, it’s what you’re smart enough not to own that sets you apart from the crowd.

It’s Not Just Generational

Baby Boomers and members of Generation Y alike are embracing a less materialistic outlook on life. Today, “owning” something doesn’t necessarily mean it has to have a permanent place in your life.  According to Strengths Doctors, a consulting firm that focuses on changing values, millennial and middle-aged soccer moms alike are experiencing an evolution of consciousness. Facilitated by technology (practically every one of us has something on the “cloud” – that ethereal arena where modern entertainment now resides), dis-ownership is impacting practically every American demographic.

After living through the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression, more and more people are embracing the fact that relationships and experiences are far more important than material possessions. As such, boomers and millennial alike are taking a new approach to their purchasing decisions.  While more and more members of Generation Y are avoiding investing in personal vehicles, fewer Boomers are traveling and buying luxury items, preferring instead to downsize and move closer to their children.

While it’s common for cultural shifts to start with members of the younger generation, it appears that the Shared Economy has become a mainstream mentality.

What Does it Really Mean to Own Something?

When it comes down to it, people just aren’t that excited about owning things anymore. “Pride of ownership” is no longer something that is strived for. This is partially a side effect of our credit culture; today we can buy what we want, when we want, simply by pulling out our credit card and charging it to our account. Gone is the anticipation, planning and waiting to purchase and own something prestigious.

Green is the New Black

When you get more by owning less, not only do you save money, but you also help contribute to a greener future. At Carpingo, we’re committed to both convenience and environmental consciousness. By sharing a Carpingo New York car share, members have more access, making driving cheaper, greener and more enjoyable for everyone involved. As our New York car share membership increases, we’re confident that the number of cars on Brooklyn’s roadways will decrease, alleviating traffic congestion and unnecessary air pollution.

Now It’s All About Access

The best way to explain the Shared Economy and the rise of dis-ownership is through the understanding of access. While we used to buy records and record players, we now buy a smartphone that allows us to access an almost infinite amount of music online. Sure, we still “own” the phone, but that’s actually secondary – it’s what the phone enables use to do that matters. Our New York car share service is very similar.

The same goes with cars. It’s where the car takes you that’s important – not the car itself. With a Carpingo New York car share membership, you enjoy the freedom of a car, but only when you need it. Can you image what that could mean for car culture in general? Ensuing changes could be drastic, ultimately reorganizing our entire economy and even the design of our car-centric cities.

Isn’t it time you let go of your materialistic side?

Join Carpingo’s New York car share service today (right now, our popular Pay As You ‘Pingo plan is FREE to join for the first year) and become a member of the Shared Economy.

What if you could ditch your annual car insurance policy, like you can ditch your annual phone contract? Lots of people enjoy unlimited long distance calling – why not unlimited gas allowances? Say goodbye to traditional transportation and hello to affordable pay-per-usage Brooklyn car share vehicles with Carpingo, your local car share expert. With pick-up and drop-off points conveniently located where you work, live and play, Carpingo’s Brooklyn car share fleet is changing the way New Yorker’s commute – for the better.

The concept is simple: make a fleet of affordable, reliable vehicles available to a community of in-need drivers. Members of the community then share these vehicles in order to reduce emissions, alleviate costs, and avoid unnecessary traffic congestion.

In Brooklyn, we call it Carpingo, and right now you can join our growing community of conscious carthusiasts for just $25.

Sharing is Car-ing

It’s no secret that New York residents spend a lot of time and money trying to get from point A to point B. The combination of costly gas and cruddy parking conditions in the city is enough to drive anyone mad.

That’s why we created Carpingo. By removing costly overheard from car travel, we’ve effectively democratized personalized transportation through our quick and easy online carsharing reservation system.

And for a limited time only, we’re letting you access our entire fleet for FREE.

Carpingo’s First Year FREE Pay As You ‘Pingo offer gives you the freedom of a car, but only when you need it. Join Carpingo today and we’ll waive your membership fee, providing you with 365 days of free Brooklyn car share usage. Simply pay the $25 application fee and you’ll enjoy one full year of 24/7 access to more than 25 car sharing locations throughout Brooklyn.

Already active in our Carpingo community? Then guess what? We’re going to waive your membership fee for the rest of the year! It’s our little way of saying thank you for sharing and car-ing.

Improving Your Community One Car at a Time

At Carpingo, we believe in the power of sharing. That’s why we’ve fused the personality, responsibility and ease of a Brooklyn car share community with the efficiency and expertise of our trusted car rental counterparts, AllCar Rent-A-Car. Whether you’re running errands in your neighborhood or heading across town, as a Carpingo member you’ll have access to a safe, affordable and environmentally friendly Brooklyn car share experience.

With Carpingo’s First Year Free promo, you can own the road without worrying about traditional car rental or ownership costs. Simply sign up with Carpingo and away you go. Instead of paying an arm and a leg to park, insure, maintain and fuel your personal vehicle, you can share a car with hundreds of other New Yorkers for as little as $8.00 an hour. We believe you’ll love Carpingo so much that you’ll replace your personal vehicle with our convenient Brooklyn car share option indefinitely! Simply visit www.carpingo.com and sign up for our Pay As You ‘Pingo plan. No coupon or discount code required. We’ll immediately set you up in our system and send you your FREE Carpingo membership card – it’s your key to unlock dozens of Brooklyn car share vehicles around town!

It’s our goal at Carpingo to keep New Yorkers on the road in the easiest and most convenient way possible. That’s why we’re offering our most popular rental plan FREE to new members.

Become a Member of our Brooklyn Car Share Family

Carpingo cars are shared by an infinite number of drivers. A community of conscientious and caring carthusiasts, Carpingo’s customers respect our vehicles and respect one another. That’s how we’re able to keep our rates low, cars available and maintenance completely free.

Before driving off in your Carpingo Brooklyn car share for the first time, do yourself a favor and follow our 5 Rules of the Road:

1. Inspect the Car – keep an eye out for any dents, damage, or strange smells. If you see something, give us a call toll free at 1-888-604-4160 and we’ll make sure not to charge for you for the repairs.
2. Keep it Clean – Remember to leave your Carpingo vehicle in the same state that you found it. Take all food wrappers, bottles, etc. with you when you drop your vehicle of at its designated parking spot. Also, if you’re taking pets along for the ride remember to keep them properly crated.
3. Don’t Smoke – Smoking is not permitted in Carpingo cars. If you smell smoke in your vehicle, let us know a.s.a.p.!
4. Gas it Up – Remember to leave at least 1/4 of a tank of gas in your Brooklyn car share vehicle when you end your reservation. If you’re running low, simply grab the fuel card that’s located inside the vehicle. Carpingo members never have to pay for their own gas!
5. Return on Time – Running late? Check your Carpingo’s on-board display to see if you can extend your reservation. Late returns will be charged a late fee.

Who needs a car when there’s a safe and affordable Carpingo vehicle waiting for you around the corner? We’re confident there’s a Carpingo location near your Brooklyn and Long Island City neighborhood. Check out our interactive map to located a Brooklyn car share vehicle near you at www.carpingo.com/cars

And don’t forget, new locations have recently opened in Williamsburg on Graham Avenue, as well as in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens at the former site of Ebbet’s Field.

Carpingo makes driving cheaper, streets cleaner and people happier with every trip. Join today to take advantage of our limited time First Year Free Pay As You ‘Pingo offer!