Car-sharing is in for growing number of Seattle drivers: ; A European idea also popular in other U.S. cities

SEATTLE - Every time Dave Shaw climbs into the Honda Civic, hemakes some adjustment: The seat's slung too far back, the steeringwheel's tilted too low, the air conditioning's too cold. But Shaw,54, isn't bothered. He drives the car only once or twice a week andhasn't put gas in it for months.

"Once you take the daily commute out of the equation, it doesn'tmake too much sense to own a car," Shaw says as he settles in behindthe wheel. "When I'm not using the car, I don't have to worry aboutit."

For 370 Seattle residents of Queen Anne Hill and Capitol Hill,car ownership is becoming outdated. The drivers have replaced carpayments and insurance premiums with a monthly fee plus a per-usecharge to use the vehicles of Flexcar, a public-private car-sharingprogram that's now operating a dozen new Honda Civics in the twoneighborhoods.

A European innovation, car-sharing capitalizes on densely packedcities, narrow streets and high gas prices that make owning a cardifficult. The largest operation, in Switzerland, provides vehiclesfor 20,000 members, offering an environmentally friendly alternativeto owning a car or using buses and taxis.

Portland, Ore., started the first big-city program in the UnitedStates in March 1998, and car-sharing programs are popping up in SanFrancisco, Boston and Chicago, as well as in Canada.

The Seattle program, which began in January, already has moremembers than Portland, in large part because of financial supportfrom Metro.

"We'd like to see people choose the mode of transportation thatworks best for each trip," said Christine Anderson, a King County,Wash., employee and operations manager for Flexcar.

"Car-sharing fills a niche. It gives people the freedom to notown a car."

On a warm Friday morning, Shaw, his shirt ringed with sweat froma 10-minute walk from Pioneer Square to where the car was parked,needed the car to run a few errands. Shaw's wife owns a car but iscontemplating switching to car-sharing when her vehicle gives out.

The program has different membership levels. At the lowest level,drivers pay no monthly fees but are charged $3.50 an hour plus 90cents a mile.

Shaw, whose business helps organize bike races and other events,paid Flexcar an initiation fee of $250. He also pays a monthly feeof $20 and a use fee of $2 an hour and 40 cents a mile.

He spends anywhere from $20 to $150 a month on Flexcars.

Shaw has access to 12 cars parked at designated pickup pointsaround the city. A truck will be added this week. If the closest carisn't available, there are second and third choices.

"I've learned noon and after work are busy," Shaw said. "But I'venever been skunked."

On Friday morning, Shaw drove the Civic to a party-supply storeto pick up banners for a cross-country bike ride he was organizing.He stopped at REI to pick up vests for event officials beforedropping off the supplies at his Capitol Hill home.

His 90 minutes of errands cost him just under $6 intransportation costs. For him, it was cheaper than a taxi, moreconvenient than a bus.

The more miles you drive, the more sense it makes to own a car,according to Portland's Web site, www.carsharing-pdx.com. The siteestimates that 10,000 miles a year is the breaking point.

More than that, buy a car. Less than that, share. Flexcar memberstend to be either young and single, or older drivers who use aFlexcar as a second vehicle. Anderson said few families have signedup for the program.

Each member has his or her own door key. The ignition key isinside the car, in a locked box requiring a numerical password.

When a driver is done with a car, the key is returned to the boxfor the next driver.

Reservations are made over the phone, sometimes with as little asfive minutes' notice. Anderson said she's never had a complaintabout a car not being available. It may not be the car closest tothe caller, but one can always be found, she said.

The company puts a lot of trust in its drivers, on whom it hasdone background checks on driving and insurance records. Andersonsaid some applicants are denied acceptance, and all drivers must beat least 21.

The onus is on drivers to stop and refuel - using a Flexcarcharge card which the company pays - when the tank is down to aquarter-full. Sometimes, individual members like Shaw may go monthswithout having to stop and fill the tank. Other times, the tank maybe at the quarter-full level after a half-hour trip, requiring afill-up.

Flexcar also trusts that drivers will report minor accidents,such as dinged doors or broken lights. The company carries completeinsurance, but the cars have a $1,000 deductible - the first $500 ispaid by the driver.

Drivers who leave a car dirty are fined $20 plus cleaningexpenses. If a car is returned late, the driver is charged $20 plusthe cab fare of the next driver.

"The only way this works is if the members take care of the car,"said Shaw, who supports the cars' smoking ban. "It's sort of impliedthat you keep the car clean."

Shaw used to own two cars. Now he relies on car-sharing.

"It's an idea that's just incredibly suited to Capitol Hill andQueen Anne and other densely populated areas in Seattle," Shaw said.

"There's no doubt in my mind that this is going to catch on."

Car-sharing is in for growing number of Seattle drivers: ; A European idea also popular in other U.S. cities

SEATTLE - Every time Dave Shaw climbs into the Honda Civic, hemakes some adjustment: The seat's slung too far back, the steeringwheel's tilted too low, the air conditioning's too cold. But Shaw,54, isn't bothered. He drives the car only once or twice a week andhasn't put gas in it for months.

"Once you take the daily commute out of the equation, it doesn'tmake too much sense to own a car," Shaw says as he settles in behindthe wheel. "When I'm not using the car, I don't have to worry aboutit."

For 370 Seattle residents of Queen Anne Hill and Capitol Hill,car ownership is becoming outdated. The drivers have replaced carpayments and insurance premiums with a monthly fee plus a per-usecharge to use the vehicles of Flexcar, a public-private car-sharingprogram that's now operating a dozen new Honda Civics in the twoneighborhoods.

A European innovation, car-sharing capitalizes on densely packedcities, narrow streets and high gas prices that make owning a cardifficult. The largest operation, in Switzerland, provides vehiclesfor 20,000 members, offering an environmentally friendly alternativeto owning a car or using buses and taxis.

Portland, Ore., started the first big-city program in the UnitedStates in March 1998, and car-sharing programs are popping up in SanFrancisco, Boston and Chicago, as well as in Canada.

The Seattle program, which began in January, already has moremembers than Portland, in large part because of financial supportfrom Metro.

"We'd like to see people choose the mode of transportation thatworks best for each trip," said Christine Anderson, a King County,Wash., employee and operations manager for Flexcar.

"Car-sharing fills a niche. It gives people the freedom to notown a car."

On a warm Friday morning, Shaw, his shirt ringed with sweat froma 10-minute walk from Pioneer Square to where the car was parked,needed the car to run a few errands. Shaw's wife owns a car but iscontemplating switching to car-sharing when her vehicle gives out.

The program has different membership levels. At the lowest level,drivers pay no monthly fees but are charged $3.50 an hour plus 90cents a mile.

Shaw, whose business helps organize bike races and other events,paid Flexcar an initiation fee of $250. He also pays a monthly feeof $20 and a use fee of $2 an hour and 40 cents a mile.

He spends anywhere from $20 to $150 a month on Flexcars.

Shaw has access to 12 cars parked at designated pickup pointsaround the city. A truck will be added this week. If the closest carisn't available, there are second and third choices.

"I've learned noon and after work are busy," Shaw said. "But I'venever been skunked."

On Friday morning, Shaw drove the Civic to a party-supply storeto pick up banners for a cross-country bike ride he was organizing.He stopped at REI to pick up vests for event officials beforedropping off the supplies at his Capitol Hill home.

His 90 minutes of errands cost him just under $6 intransportation costs. For him, it was cheaper than a taxi, moreconvenient than a bus.

The more miles you drive, the more sense it makes to own a car,according to Portland's Web site, www.carsharing-pdx.com. The siteestimates that 10,000 miles a year is the breaking point.

More than that, buy a car. Less than that, share. Flexcar memberstend to be either young and single, or older drivers who use aFlexcar as a second vehicle. Anderson said few families have signedup for the program.

Each member has his or her own door key. The ignition key isinside the car, in a locked box requiring a numerical password.

When a driver is done with a car, the key is returned to the boxfor the next driver.

Reservations are made over the phone, sometimes with as little asfive minutes' notice. Anderson said she's never had a complaintabout a car not being available. It may not be the car closest tothe caller, but one can always be found, she said.

The company puts a lot of trust in its drivers, on whom it hasdone background checks on driving and insurance records. Andersonsaid some applicants are denied acceptance, and all drivers must beat least 21.

The onus is on drivers to stop and refuel - using a Flexcarcharge card which the company pays - when the tank is down to aquarter-full. Sometimes, individual members like Shaw may go monthswithout having to stop and fill the tank. Other times, the tank maybe at the quarter-full level after a half-hour trip, requiring afill-up.

Flexcar also trusts that drivers will report minor accidents,such as dinged doors or broken lights. The company carries completeinsurance, but the cars have a $1,000 deductible - the first $500 ispaid by the driver.

Drivers who leave a car dirty are fined $20 plus cleaningexpenses. If a car is returned late, the driver is charged $20 plusthe cab fare of the next driver.

"The only way this works is if the members take care of the car,"said Shaw, who supports the cars' smoking ban. "It's sort of impliedthat you keep the car clean."

Shaw used to own two cars. Now he relies on car-sharing.

"It's an idea that's just incredibly suited to Capitol Hill andQueen Anne and other densely populated areas in Seattle," Shaw said.

"There's no doubt in my mind that this is going to catch on."