In Spring-Summer of 2024 Mobile GR intends to launch its carshare program operated by provider Mobility Development. The project is intended as a pilot program supported by $500,000 from the Parking Capital Fund over the course of the three-year contract. It will include at least six (6) plug-in electric vehicles at program launch, increasing up to twelve (12) in the second phase.
In addition to the Carshare program, the department will also fund EV infrastructure installation and associated electricity costs. This program builds on multi-year efforts to promote sustainability and affordable mobility options for low- and moderate- income residents. The goal is to provide a high-quality user experience that attracts and retains long-term members and merits continued investment after initial startup funds are exhausted.
New EV infrastructure will be installed through a recently approved contract with Westside Solutions and in partnership with Consumer’s Energy. Four neighborhood lots will each have a dual-port charger with one charger for carshare and one available to the public which can be reserved and paid for with the MOTU application. There will be 1-2 cars placed at downtown charging stations in addition to the four new stations installed in City neighborhoods:
· Madison Square Lot at 413 Hall St. SE and Umatilla Street numbers 432, 436 and 446
· Burton-Division Lot, 2000 Division Ave. S
· West Fulton St W Lot, 747 Fulton St. W
· Eastown Ethel Lot, 420 and 428 Ethel Ave. SE
The City will also lead and fund some of the marketing and outreach efforts. For the program rollout, Mobility Development has commissioned outreach by Scales Consulting, LLC and Public Agency in key neighborhoods, and Mobile GR has commissioned communications by Grey Matter Group. Branding will be an extension of the DASH bus brand while linking with a MI CARSHARE branding that will be shared with smaller carshare pilot projects being launched in Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, and Detroit. Mobile GR will work with Mobility Development to continually evaluate the success of the program and make a recommendation if funding should continue the program after the three-year pilot period. The Mobile GR Commission received a briefing of the pilot program at its August 2023 meeting
Many more details to come!
Call us at 616-456-3000
Email us at mobilegr@grcity.us