Leap now usable for GoCar

Stephen15

You can now use your Leap card to rent a GoCar. I thought the main idea of leap was to reduce car usage not increase it. Anyway here's the article.

https://irishtechnews.ie/gocar-announces-that-you-can-use-your-leap-card-to-use-gocar-in-dublin/amp/

Colonel Claptrap

GoCar, in partnership with Irish Rail are encouraging people to ditch their car and use a car sharing service for the few times they actually need a vehicle.

Rather than buying a car, leaving it sat in my driveway for most of the year, I can use my leap card to get the train close to my destination, then use a GoCar - found at a lot of stations - to finish my journey.

They also have a lot of electric cars in their fleet.

jimmycrackcorm

Stephen15 wrote:

You can now use your Leap card to rent a GoCar. I thought the main idea of leap was to reduce car usage not increase it. Anyway here's the article.

Private car usage, not shared. You might as well suggest people shouldn't use taxis, though I think it would be fantastic to extend leap to using taxis also.

bigar

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

You might as well suggest people shouldn't use taxis.

Allow me to suggest exactly that. Walk or take a bicycle and a public transport for longer distances.

A GoCar is very good it you need to go for the big shop or short journeys. If you need it for longer the price is becoming a a hindrance as it would be cheaper just to rent a car for a day.

bk

bigar wrote: »

Allow me to suggest exactly that. Walk or take a bicycle and a public transport for longer distances.

As a person who doesn't own a car and who usually walks, cycles and takes a bus. Taxi's (and GoCars) absolutely fill an important niche for people like us and are vital to people living in a city without a car.

While I normally walk or take public transport, they are absolutely are times when they aren't suitable.

In town after 11:30, you will need to take a taxi home (though hopefully we will soon get 24/7 buses). Need to bring lots of heavy stuff home, from shopping, etc. take a taxi. Need to go to a hospital quick (but not quiet ambulance emergency) take a taxi.

They do fill an important gap in a non car life IMO.

dashcamdanny

I find the crazy red light jumper or the guy who cant seem to keep to his own lane always seems to be a GoCar user. I am putting it down to inexperience with the car or even being on the road.

Their insurance must be through the roof.

Colonel Claptrap

dashcamdanny wrote: »

I find the crazy red light jumper or the guy who cant seem to keep to his own lane always seems to be a GoCar user. I am putting it down to inexperience with the car or even being on the road.

Their insurance must be through the roof.

It took me a while to get used to the GoVan. Gear changes weren't smooth, I couldn't get the seat position right and I was overly cautious of how wide the van felt.

The same as any rental car really. It takes a while to get used to it. Most GoCars are rented for an hour or two I'd say.

Dravokivich

Stephen15 wrote: »

You can now use your Leap card to rent a GoCar. I thought the main idea of leap was to reduce car usage not increase it. Anyway here's the article.

https://irishtechnews.ie/gocar-announces-that-you-can-use-your-leap-card-to-use-gocar-in-dublin/amp/

Leap from Day 1 wanted to expand the services it could use the ePurse with. They had eyes on other schemes that credit on the card was used at generic vending machines in a few countries.

Here however, I recon it's simply a key of sorts. Like they setup with Dublin Bikes.

rregan

"We believe if people own a car, they are irrational about how they get about – they are vested in that car. If you offer more alternatives and solutions to break that cycle of car ownership, people make the right decision about where walking is the best, or cycling, using public transport, or occasionally using car sharing"

Makes sense to me.

mickdw

Car sharing is very much seen as a green initiative so certainly leap car rental is a good move.

I think gocar pricing is excellent.

I rented their larger van for a day last year and went across the country with it for something like 110 quid all in - they pay for the fuel.

Traditional hire companies worked out alot more expensive.

KLF

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/106637971#Comment_106637971

The GoCar has to be left back to the GoCar base you got it from so it doesn't make sense for finishing a journey unless you are doing a round trip.