Number of SHARE NOW users hits 40,000
In the two years since its beginning, a total of more than 40,000 people have registered to carsharing service SHARE NOW, according to a press release sent to the Budapest Business Journal.
Since the launch of the service in the spring of 2019, users have driven close to 2.8 million km.
Furthermore, in the second year running, the utilization of the cars was continuously increasing: there has been a 130% increase in usage, even at the time of the pandemic, the company notes.
“Lately the usage of carsharing is becoming more widespread and habitual, as more people are realising that carsharing is a sustainable, safe and comfortable addition to traditional means of transportation,” says Bence Buday, the managing director of SHARE NOW Hungary.
According to the company's data, the longest single trip registered was 1,937 km - through Eplény, Felsőörs, Nyíradony, and Budapest. In a few instances, people have even chosen SHARE NOW as the ride for their wedding, or rush to the maternity ward to become parents.
Demonstrating the increased use, the average trip length has expanded by 70% to 48 minutes, compared to the first year.
Although the rentals are still predominantly minute-based, the ratio of daily rentals is steadily rising.
“This is showing that carsharing, which is generally used as an urban mobility solution, is a perfect alternative for privately-or business-owned cars in the ideal situation," adds Buday.
While the coronavirus pandemic hit many companies hard, SHARE NOW says that its focus over the period was continuous innovation and fulfilling rapidly growing mobility needs. The company increased the number of its employees, introduced new service elements, new zones, and expanded its car fleet. In two years, the number of cars has increased from 210 to 350, and three types of electric cars become available: the MINI Electric, the BMW i3 and the smart EQ fortwo.
Based on car use, the three-door MINI has been on top of the charts, although the MINI Electric has been the most popular in last few months. During the summer season, SHARE NOW, the only carsharing service in Budapest offering cabriolets, registered increased demand for the MINI Convertible. For longer trips, most users opt for the Mercedes A-Class.
“Carsharing has found its place in the bloodstream of Budapest, although to integrate it even better to the city’s transportation and parking system, more developments and regulatory steps are necessary," notes Buday.
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