Elected leaders and city staff gathered outside the South El Monte Community Center this past weekend to kick off the city’s new car-share program, SGV Carshare.
This program was developed in partnership with the Energy Coalition, Mobility Development Options, California Air Resources Board, Shared-Use Mobility Center, and the nonprofit ActiveSGV.
Six cars will be available - Chevy Bolts and Hyundai Konas - to be checked out through the app (search SGV Carshare in app stores). Pricing is $40 per day, $220 per week, and there is a $20 registration fee with a waiting period, while driving records are checked. Hourly rates will be introduced after charging stations are installed at the civic center, for both the program and public use.
The California Air Resources Board funded the program with $1.5 million in Cap and Trade dollars. CARB Board member Hector De La Torre emphasized that electric car-share is better for the environment than using Uber or Lyft.
“This is for people to get around, to run their errands, but it's also, at the same time, zero emissions, so it's clean, green transportation for folks,” said De La Torre. He also touted the potential reduction of vehicle miles travelled.
South El Monte city councilmember Manuel Acosta told SBLA this program has value above and beyond environmental benefits for the community.
“It will allow people that live in our city that don't have the luxuries of having vehicles to be able to move around as easily [as those with cars],” said Acosta. “This is probably the best benefit, giving some of those residents the ability to just show up and take it for a day, whether it's groceries or going to the doctor or going somewhere that's a little further away. Let's say, go to the beach, right? Perfect. Bring it back, let someone else use it the next day. I think that's where the true benefit is.”
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