Faqs
Sharing with CarShare Vermont
Is CarShare Vermont right for me?
If you answer “yes” to any of the following questions, then carsharing probably makes sense for you (and your business, too).
- Are you currently living without a car but could use one from time to time?
- Can you get around most of the time without driving a personal vehicle?
- Are you on the fence about whether your household needs an extra vehicle, or on the flip side, you’re looking to downsize?
- Do you want to save money?
- Do you live or work in Burlington or a neighboring community?
How can carsharing help me save money?
Owning a car is expensive. There are car payments, insurance, maintenance, and registration fees just to own it. And when you drive, you also pay for gas, repairs, and other unexpected expenses. Carsharing converts the high fixed costs of owning a car into a service you only pay for when you use it. The less you drive, the more you save!
How is carsharing different from renting a car?
CarShare Vermont is a membership-based service available to all qualified drivers in our community. Instead of keeping our cars in one central location, we park them in neighborhoods at self-accessible, unattended pods. You can reserve and access a CarShare Vermont vehicle using your smartphone or access card 24/7, which makes carsharing a convenient and affordable solution for your everyday car needs. Also, insurance, gas, and EV charging are always included with carsharing, rather than being added costs.
Can I use your cars if I'm just visiting town for the weekend?
Yes, but it’s always best to sign up in advance. You can select one of our monthly membership options when you apply, and we’ll set you up to use our mobile app to make reservations and access our vehicles. Keep in mind that if this is a one-time use, you’ll need to let us know when you leave town so that we can close down your account.
I commute by car daily. Is carsharing a good option for me?
Probably not. If you can’t get to work without a car most of the time, then carsharing is not your best choice since you’d be paying for the car while it sits parked at your workplace. Learn more about carpooling and other transportation options at Go! Vermont.
I want to ditch my car and start sharing. Does CarShare Vermont participate in the State of Vermont's Replace Your Ride program?
Congratulations! And yes, we do. Eligible owners of eligible vehicles can get $5,000 toward carsharing when they scrap their vehicles. Find out more about this and related programs here.
Where can I go with CarShare Vermont cars? What about Montreal?
You can take the vehicles to any state. You can even visit Canada—just don’t forget your passport!
Can I use your vehicles for services like Uber, Lyft or Doordash?
No. Carrying persons or property for hire (i.e., taxi, Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, or any other delivery services) is not a permitted use of our vehicles.
Becoming a member
How do I join?
Easy – just fill out our online application and pay a one-time application fee. Once you’re approved (usually within 1-2 business days) you’ll use the CarShare Vermont app or reservation website to reserve a car and drive!
What’s included in my membership?
Gas & charging: There’s a gas card or EV charging card in every car. Fill up on us.
Insurance: You and your passengers are covered by premium auto insurance. For a small annual fee, you can add our optional Damage Waiver Program.
Parking: You’ll have a dedicated parking spot at the end of every trip.
Roadside assistance: If you break down, our emergency service will help you 24/7.
Lots of availability: There are plenty of vehicles to go around. Getting a car when you need one is easy.
Ways to carry your stuff: Many of our cars have bike and ski racks. When you need more cargo space, borrow one of our trucks.
Member perks: Being a CarShare Vermont member comes with a lot of discounts around town.
Which pricing plan should I choose?
It depends on how much you plan to drive. The Share-a-Lot plan is our primary plan for most CarShare Vermont members – if you’ll use a car at least a few times a month to grocery shop, run errands, or visit friends out of town, then it’s the way to go.
On the other hand, if you’d like to join CarShare Vermont for an occasional back-up car or just need a pickup truck every now and again, then the Share-a-Little plan is a better choice. Learn more about our individual rates here.
We offer our discounted MobilityShare plan to income-eligible Vermonters.
Business members can incorporate carsharing into their operations while supporting their employees’ healthy and environmentally friendly transportation choices.
Our Campus plan is available to full-time students, faculty, and staff of the University of Vermont and Champlain College.
Can I switch membership plans once I start?
Yes, you can switch between plans as long as you notify us before the start of the month.
What are the eligibility requirements?
If you’re 18 years old with at least 2 years of driving experience and a clean driving record, chances are you’re all set. Check out our full eligibility requirements to make sure.
What if I have a foreign license?
If you’re licensed in another country, we’ll need to see your home country’s license and a copy of your home country’s driving record. If your license is not in English, you will also need to have an international driving permit and a translated copy of your driving record. Contact us with questions!
What is a household/group account?
You can save money by sharing a CarShare Vermont account with household members. One membership covers two drivers. After the second driver, there is an additional fee of $25/year per person.
Do I have to be a member of CarShare Vermont to use the cars?
Yes, only members of CarShare Vermont are insured to drive our cars.
Cars & Locations
What kind of cars do you have?
We have a variety of practical and environmentally friendly vehicles – check out our fleet!
Where are the vehicles located?
Our vehicles are in central locations downtown and throughout most neighborhoods in Burlington. Check out our fleet map. We plan to add two cars in Winooski in 2023.
Can I pick up a car from one location and drop it off somewhere else?
No, all cars need to be returned to their home pod. CarShare Vermont does not offer one-way trips because the logistics are complicated to manage in our small city.
Can I share rides, too?
Yes! (With some caveats.) Our software facilitates ridesharing too, but not cost-splitting. Members can opt to make their reservations available for ridesharing with other members, and any arrangements can then be conducted by private email. However, our insurance will not cover members who use our vehicles for any commercial or paid ride-hailing purposes. Additionally, we do not screen our members beyond a motor vehicle record check.
Can I use the car to take my dog Roo to the vet?
Yes, many of our vehicles are pet-friendly if your pet is in a carrier. Just check on the fleet page to make sure you’re choosing a pet-friendly vehicle. And please note that there are fees for transporting pets in non pet-friendly vehicles and/or not using a carrier.
Is smoking allowed in the cars?
No. Smoking anything in our cars will result in a hefty fee, along with a cleaning charge. For a full list of our fees and credits, please check out our Member Handbook.
When is CarShare Vermont coming to my neighborhood?
Check out our fleet map. If you live in Burlington, there’s a good chance that we’re there or will be there soon! We’ll be returning to Winooski in 2023. We’re keeping track of where our potential members live so we can prioritize our future pod locations. If you’d like to request a pod in your neighborhood, please contact us.