Flexcar Expands Service in Arlington County; Unique Partnership with County Provides More Vehicles to Serve More Areas

ARLINGTON, Va.--May 1, 20058, 2005--Flexcar, the nation's oldest provider of car-sharing services, today announced it is increasing the number of its vehicles in Arlington County, Va., as part of a public-private partnership launched a year ago with the County. The program exceeded expectations and has been renewed and expanded. Flexcar will now have 21 vehicles in the County.

Flexcar's innovative program provides members with on-demand access to a fleet of diverse and environmentally friendly cars and trucks, including gas-electric hybrids, sedans, vans, pickup trucks and AWD vehicles located throughout selected U.S. metropolitan areas. Members reserve the vehicles for hourly use with Flexcar covering the cost of the car, gas, parking, insurance, and maintenance. Members pay an hourly or discounted monthly rate for use of the vehicles.

In March, 2004, Arlington invested significantly in a carsharing program, dedicating on-street parking spots, outreach and promotion. The result was positive -- a membership increase of 116 percent (one-third more growth compared to the rest of the region) to more than 2,500 members and usage increase of 150 percent.

"Carsharing provides the 'missing link' to the transportation mix of walking, biking and transit, and fits perfectly with Arlington's integrated approach to transportation," said Jay Fisette, chairman of the Arlington County Board. "We want to make it easier for folks to get around without owning a car. Adding more carsharing vehicles helps accomplish this goal."

Pilot project survey results, corroborated with evidence from studies in North America and Europe, show that carsharing: has allowed members to reduce their car ownership; encourages more transit trips; reduces the number of cars on the road; reduces the number of vehicle miles traveled; and provides for a much more efficient use of parking spaces. According to the survey results, the pilot's success is in part due to the high visibility of the on-street carshare vehicles, the convenience of the service, the perceived safety of the on-street spaces and Arlington County's support for the program (A report on the results of the Arlington Carshare Pilot Project is available at www.CommuterPage.com/carshare).

Through July 18, those who live or work in Arlington can take advantage of special discounts when signing up for Flexcar. Discounts are also available for companies that are members of Arlington Transportation Partners (ATP).

"Our experience in carsharing across the country tells us one thing," said Lance Ayrault, president and CEO of Flexcar. "When local governments share the vision and help make carsharing part of the transportation fabric, the results are phenomenal. We salute Arlington County for its leadership in expanding the program."

More information about Flexcar, is available online at www.flexcar.com or via phone at 877-FLEXCAR.

FLEXCAR

Headquartered in Seattle, Flexcar now operates car-sharing programs for more than 30,000 members in more than a dozen cities and counties in 5 states and the District of Columbia. With flexible pricing plans, members can reserve and drive any of these cars whenever and wherever they need to, without filling out complicated paperwork, paying for insurance, gas or repairs. Flexcar Business Memberships enable companies to augment or replace their fleet with Flexcar vehicles. Flexcar's modern fleet includes sedans, gas-electric hybrids, electric cars and specialty vehicles including pickups and convertibles. Flexcar has established strategic partnerships with King County (Wash.) Metro, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Parsons Transportation Group, American Honda Motor Company, Inc. and Bristol Bay Native Corporation.