Car2Go Coming to Calgary Edit- closing as of October 31

[WilsonFourTwo]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

However, it's NOTHING compared to what's happened to me twice this week (and about 10 times since summer), which is that I successfully reserve a car, walk to where it is on the map and... no car. It's nowhere to be found. I walked all the way there, usually out of my way, to try to get the god$%*( thing and it isn't there. My phone app says it's right where I'm standing, but no dice.

Haven't experienced that (yet) but I have gotten to a car that I reserved only to have it refuse to let me unlock it with my card. Seems to have forgotten that I'm the one that reserved it.

And yes.....the vehicle name/number is the right one. I'm a fool, but I ain't stupid!

It's happened twice so far but even with that being the case, I think LOVE Car2Go.

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

My experiences have been pretty much the complete opposite of yours. No problems reserving using the app (both apple and blackberry), and only once has my car been a "ghost" and not there when I got to where it was supposed to be. I tweeted with them about it and got a call shortly afterwards from their office, and they gave me something like 30 free minutes for the hassle.

Just wanted to say this is what happened for me too- I reserved a car and went to the parkade where it was supposed to be.

I walked up and down that parkade 3 times and NO car2go, so I emailed after I cancelled my reservation and complained that it wasn't there, and was given 30 minutes free. Pretty good customer service I'd say.

[Knalus]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

I'm really starting to loathe Car2Go. I realize the alternative is "no car2go", and logically therefore having it available should be better than nothing at all, but I'm becoming less and less able to convince myself that that's true given the number of times it's pissed me off.

On the off chance I can find a car available within a 5 block radius of where I need one, a large portion of the time I get an error when I try to reserve it. I'd say this happens probably 50-60% of the times I try to reserve. Which is really annoying.

However, it's NOTHING compared to what's happened to me twice this week (and about 10 times since summer), which is that I successfully reserve a car, walk to where it is on the map and... no car. It's nowhere to be found. I walked all the way there, usually out of my way, to try to get the god$%*( thing and it isn't there. My phone app says it's right where I'm standing, but no dice.

Hilariously the phone app also has no "help" feature or ability to press a button to call customer support. Likely because they'd be inundated by callers complaining about walking around in the cold looking for non-existent cars.

My main issue regarding Car2go and their website, is the fact that they miss cars. In this scenario, the app says there is no car for blocks, and I have no option but to walk, say, 5 blocks to get to one. And on my way, I find a row of three cars, all available, so I get in and start my trip. But this scenario doesn't always happen, just say 30% of the time. Leaving me to think, "Maybe there is a car, it's just not showing up on my bloody app". "Maybe if I walk down THIS street, I'll find a car that isn't on the map". I can't really trust the app, it clearly doesn't know where there are available cars, as it is missing ones right in front of me.

[Bill Bumface]

The interface should ask you when you park "Are you in a parkade?"

If you hit "yes" it should ask "What level?"

If I see two cars on the map, one is on the street outside the parkade, and one is in the parkade, now I can chose the one on the street and avoid confusion. If I'm forced to take one in a parkade, at least now I know where to go hunting.

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by REDVAN

Just wanted to say this is what happened for me too- I reserved a car and went to the parkade where it was supposed to be.

I walked up and down that parkade 3 times and NO car2go, so I emailed after I cancelled my reservation and complained that it wasn't there, and was given 30 minutes free. Pretty good customer service I'd say.

It's literally the worst customer service I can recall receiving from any company.

It happened again this afternoon. Walk to where the car I reserved should be, no car. Look around in the alley behind the building, nothing. Now I'm pissed because this is the second time in a week so I call them.

Guy picks up, I explain. He says it's probably in a parkade, and he'll find me another one. There's one 3 blocks west. Walk 2 blocks, he tells me whoops, someone else reserved it. This happens 3 times with him telling me to walk somewhere only to say the car is gone. So finally he just puts one out of service "by a park" on 4th and center, so about 5 more blocks. I walk there and call back. New guy now tells me it's actually somewhere in a parkade on 5th Ave and I'll have to just hunt through all 5 floors to find it.

Needless to say I gave up and am typing this from the corner of 4th and center st as I wait for a cab. An hour of my time wasted, I could have walked home.

This service is crap.

[core_upt]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

And it is airport access with Park2Go:

http://calgary.car2go.com/how-it-works/

Edit: Beaten, but holy table breakage! Spoiler that image.

Has anyone fit luggage in the back? Can you fit a full size suitcase back there? Full size and a carry on?

[jammies]

Which app are you guys using? I'm using get2car, and not the official app - I very rarely have problems, and I use the service quite often.

[stampsx2]

Why is this service so popular? At $14 an hour that works out to about $300 for the month if you have a short drive to work. Way cheaper taking the c-train. Based on this thread and finding a car it doesn't seem to be any less hassle.

This cars 2 go thing makes no sense to me.

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by fotze

Plus you drive yourself so there isn't he cabby trying to drive up the bill by pretending not to know the quickest way.

Does this actually happen to people? I must be the luckiest S.O.B. in the world because I usually find the cabbie takes the route I would, or one that seems faster without me saying anything..

[Kavvy]

Originally Posted by fotze

Trips from he SW to the airport always have to go down 17th avenue to hit the 38 lights on the way.

Ah, I was thinking stampede grounds and was wondering how much of a detour they could possibly take getting you there.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by stampsx2

Why is this service so popular? At $14 an hour that works out to about $300 for the month if you have a short drive to work. Way cheaper taking the c-train. Based on this thread and finding a car it doesn't seem to be any less hassle.

This cars 2 go thing makes no sense to me.

I'm pretty sure C2G is a taxi alternative, not a transit alternative. I've only ever used it once, and that was in lieu of a taxi when I needed to get home ASAP. Jumped in one of the 5 C2G's parked outside of my building and was home in ten minutes.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

I'm pretty sure C2G is a taxi alternative, not a transit alternative. I've only ever used it once, and that was in lieu of a taxi when I needed to get home ASAP. Jumped in one of the 5 C2G's parked outside of my building and was home in ten minutes.

I beg to differ - I know a few people in the office that work a 7-4 schedule that are using C2G as their commuting alternative. They drive in from the burbs to a G2G location and then switch cars.

C2G is going to have to figure out ways to discourage this practice or I can see them falling out of favor with the City quick.

[ken0042]

I guess in that case they are taking the slack off from somebody who would drive into work. So the amount they pay for Car2Go is less than they would pay for parking.

I don't see why Car2Go would discourage this. What is the difference between somebody doing that, and somebody coming out of their house and grabbing the car? They keep expanding the "home" area, which tells me that business is good.

The "greater good" part of the guy who drives partway and Car2Go's the rest of the way in; that now leaves cars available for somebody like me to use during the day. That is how I use it; sudden emergencies and for running errands. With paying for parking it costs me $20 to drive into work. If I have something to do during lunch; I can use a Car2Go for $14 at most. If it's something within the core like passport renewal or Flames ticket stuff, I can get away with less. So even on months I don't have a bus pass, factoring in the $6 for bus commuting I still end up ahead. Then take something like passport renewal, I don't have to worry about paying for parking at Harry Hays.

[chemgear]

How are these clown cars with snow on the ground? Do they slap winter tires on them all?

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I beg to differ - I know a few people in the office that work a 7-4 schedule that are using C2G as their commuting alternative. They drive in from the burbs to a G2G location and then switch cars.

C2G is going to have to figure out ways to discourage this practice or I can see them falling out of favor with the City quick.

Well certainly there are those people, but that only accounts for two trips a day for 150 or so people (or however many cars C2G currently has on the road). Probably not enough to sustain the program -- I'm guessing it's trips before and after that make up the majority of use/users.

[REDVAN]

Originally Posted by chemgear

How are these clown cars with snow on the ground? Do they slap winter tires on them all?

They claim that they winterize... and that they put winter tires on- haven't driven one in the last week so I couldn't confirm. But they're supposed to be all properly equipped (advertising says some of them even have heated seats).

[Bigtime]

I drove them a few times last year in the snow, they handled ok for a car that size, actually better than I was expecting.

[stevinder]

Another increase in Car2Go rates starting Monday:

$0.41/min

$14.99/hr

$84.99/day

[RW99]

Originally Posted by stevinder

Another increase in Car2Go rates starting Monday:

$0.41/min

$14.99/hr

$84.99/day

But I was expecting it to come up soon. I wouldn't mind as much if they had a parking rate

[4X4]

what were the old rates?