Car2Go brings fleet-based car sharing to Chicago
Chicago is the 25th city worldwide to get down with Daimler's scheme.
Daimler's Car2Go car sharing service is already in a few cities across the US, and now, it's opened up shop in the City of the Big Shoulders.
Car2Go announced this week that it has started a pilot car-sharing program in Chicago. Using the company's app, Chicagoans will have access to a fleet of maintained vehicles. Currently, the fleet is 400 cars strong, and the models are split between the Smart Fortwo and the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and GLA-Class . Since the focus is on urban transportation, having small vehicles is important -- especially if you've ever tried to parallel-park anywhere in Chicago.
Car2Go doesn't have set pickup or drop-off points. When you snag a Car2Go vehicle, you have free rein with it. You can leave it in either designated Car2Go spots or residential permit spaces, at whatever time you want, with the price you pay being based on how long you've used it. Pricing also includes insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking.
That said, you can't drive it to Indiana and leave it there -- it has to be dropped off within a 29-square-mile "home area" that stretches from Cermak in the south to Foster in the north, and from Kimball and Homan in the west to Lake Michigan in the east. The app will let you know whether or not you're within that zone.
There are no monthly or annual fees for Car2Go, but there is a one-time $5 signup fee, although that fee will be waived for folks who sign up before Aug. 23 and use a code. Early adopters will also get a $15 credit for future rentals.
