Facilitated by a number of start-up businesses and

Facilitated by a number of start-up businesses and organizations, car-sharing is starting to become available in urban centers around the US, according to USA Today. Cooperatives and car-sharing companies now operate in Boston; Seattle; San Francisco; Portland, Oregon; Boulder, Colorado; and Traverse City, Michigan. Other companies are preparing for launches in Chicago, Cleveland, San Diego, and Washington, DC. It’s easy to imagine residents of new urbanist communities taking part in car-sharing if such an option became available. Zipcar, a firm in based in Boston, charges customers a $75 annual fee and asks for a $300 deposit. They get an ATM-like card to access the firm’s cars, located near subway stops. Customers pay $4.50/hour and 40 cents a mile. For people living in walkable communities, car sharing can save significant money. A study of Portland’s car-sharing operation found that 79 percent of customers either sold a private car or avoided buying one. For each car eliminated, a family can save $6,000/year.