Car-sharing in Colorado: millions of miles, and money.

• Author: Tilton, Morgan
• Position: STATE of the STATE

With the urban battle-for-parking scenario worsening in Colorado's metro areas, smart cars offer a glimmer of hope. The pint-sized vehicles can be squeezed with ease into smaller curbside spots, and they're available to carshare members anytime.

Owned by the car-share company Car2Go, the fleet of Denver's 450 eco-friendly smart cars first hit the streets in June 2013. Now, less than two years later, the Colorado-based business has increased by 150 cars and is up to 31,000 members. More than 2 million miles have been driven in Colorado since launching--and that's just measuring Car2Go miles.

UPPING THE AUTO ANTE

From a Chevy, Silverado truck to a Ford Fusion sedan, Aspen's CAR TO GO program has nine pickup locations and a variety of vehicles. The nonprofit eGo CarShare is up to 55 vehicles--compared to its initial 13 in January 2009--throughout Denver and Boulder. Zipcar, operating in the Mile High City and Fort Collins, also launched in 2013. And in April 2014, Enterprise Holdings acquired Occasional Car for people zipping around the Denver metro area.

Many Coloradans opt for car-sharing because they don't drive much and they'd rather do so without the financial burden of car ownership, said eGo CarShare Assistant Director Alyssa Alt. Considering the costs of purchase, registration, maintenance, insurance and parking, a set of wheels racks up a hefty price tag. Other members see car-sharing as an opportunity to lower their carbon footprint.

"Coloradans are utilizing Car2Go to alleviate congestion, reduce emissions and mainta in quality of life," said Car2go Location Manager Mike Pietsch. He pointed out that a single company's vehicle is used by multiple people daily, reducing the overall number of vehicles on the road.

Convenience and increased mobility are the top two reasons Colorado members give for car-sharing, according to the 2013-2014 Denver Car-Share Program Assessment for Denver Public Works. In that survey, 91 percent of eGo CarShare, Car2Go and Zipcar users noted those points as the incentives for membership--followed by parking flexibility.

DENVER CARES FOR CAR-SHARE

The city of Denver first partnered with car-share businesses in May 2013.

With the intent to...