What Are the Differences Between Car Sharing and Ride Sharing? - Vol.417
In recent years, collaborative transportation has gained a lot of popularity. With the evolution of technology, new ways of transportation started becoming available to people worldwide, and so far, they have proven to be very efficient and sustainable.
Out of all different types of collaborative transport, car sharing and ride sharing are the most popular trends. There are a lot of reasons for this, and we will show you what they are later in this article. But before we do that, let's explain the differences between them by digging a bit deeper into how each of them works.
Car Sharing
Let's say you own a car, but you don't really use it that much. You just use it to drive to and from work, and it spends the rest of the day sitting in your garage. Car sharing gives you an opportunity to put your car to use even when you don't need it, by renting it to other people.
This is an example of the so-called peer-to-peer car sharing. You rent your car out to your coworkers or neighbors, either by using an app or just making a deal with them in person. This way you get the most out of car ownership, and you make some money on the side.
Another type of car sharing is point-to-point sharing, which is one of the most convenient means of transportation. You use a service to find a car located near you, take it for a ride, and bring it back to the place you found it in. This is mainly used for short trips, so you pay by the minute.
The last form of car sharing is free-floating sharing service. You find a car in the service area, drive it around, and park it anywhere in the service area, no matter the starting point. You can make a reservation, or just find one available now, and you often pay by the minute.
Ride Sharing
If you've ever taken a taxi, you've already participated in the traditional form of ride sharing. A more recent version of this is collaborative car sharing. Basically, it's a form of organized carpooling, where you use a service to share a car with another person.
A good example of this is services such as Uber or Lyft, which are very popular in the United States. You use a phone app to call a nearby driver and pay him to take you to your destination. The reason this is better than a traditional taxi service is the availability of drivers and convenience. It's also more affordable.
Which is Better?
There's really no clear answer to this. Both options offer a lot of benefits, so it's mostly a matter of personal preference.
The biggest upsides of car sharing are that it provides a convenient way to drive around, and gives you the chance to not only save money but also make some extra cash by renting out your own car.
Another great thing is versatility. There are all kinds of cars available for sharing, so depending on whether you're traveling by yourself, or with your family, you can find the one that fits your needs the best.
A possible drawback can be that renting your car out to a complete stranger can be a bit risky. That's why companies that offer this service make sure to minimize the risk by offering different insurance policies.
When it comes to ride sharing, one of the main benefits is the impact it has on the environment. The more people share one car, the less pollution there is. And since the importance of environment protection rises with time, this is a great way to help our planet.
Another good thing about ride sharing is that it saves you money. If you only take occasional short trips, the services we mentioned here can be a cheap way to do it.
So as you can see, both of these options are a great way to conveniently move around the city. There is no doubt that this trend will be here for quite some time, at least until self-driving cars take over.