Carshare company Zipcar to halt operations in BC

Carshare company Zipcar has announced it will cease operations in BC as of May 1.

In an email to Daily Hive confirming its departure, the company said its decision is “due to the complexities of operating in the Vancouver market, including local insurance rules.”

Zipcar serviced Burnaby, Coquitlam, Kamloops, Kelowna, New Westminster, Surrey, and Vancouver.

• See also:
  • Evo sets aside 250 vehicles for frontline healthcare workers to use for free
  • BC home sales to plummet by up to 40% this month: report
  • New downtown Vancouver mural honouring healthcare workers is a symbol of hope

“We thank our entire Zipcar community in British Columbia for its support since we first launched in 2007,” said the company. 

Zipcar is the latest carshare service to leave the province. In February, SHARE NOW (formerly known as Car2Go) officially ended operations in North America.

The company made the announcement in December 2019, noting that some of the factors leading to its decision included the competitive market, rising operating costs, and a lack of infrastructure to support new technology.

Local carshare company, Modo, meanwhile, says it’s here to stay. “We want to assure Modo members that our 23-year-old member-owned co-op is here to stay – during this pandemic and beyond,” the company told Daily Hive. “We’re also very happy to provide continuity of round trip carsharing to Zipcar users, with lower rates, more vehicles, and local friendly customer service.”