The Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and its partners have launched Our Community CarShare Sacramento, a clean vehicle sharing program serving disadvantaged communities.
As reported, Our Community CarShare provides hundreds of residents of three Sacramento public housing complexes with free access to eight electric Kia Souls.
Six of the zero-emission vehicles are stationed at the residential communities, and two additional vehicles will be available for reservation by registered users at the Sacramento Valley Station.
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) says it provided a $1.3 million grant for the effort through the California Climate Investments program.
The Sacramento Metropolitan AQMD was awarded the project funding through a competitive grant process, CARB notes.
“Our Community CarShare Sacramento provides access to clean, free transportation to residents of disadvantaged communities,” says Larry Greene, Sacramento AQMD’s executive director. “Mobility is vitally important in today’s economy, and bringing zero-emission transportation options to all residents is critical to protecting air quality and health.”
Program partners Zipcar, the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, Mutual Housing California, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the City of Sacramento, and Policy in Motion also contributed funding and resources.
“All Californians deserve to have access to the very cleanest vehicles, especially in the neighborhoods that need them the most,” says CARB Chair Mary D. Nichols. “This investment is a triple play: It helps clean the air, fights climate change and improves the quality of life for those who live in these communities. That’s a good use of cap-and-trade proceeds by any measure.”
The pilot program has been launched in three Sacramento housing communities:
- Mutual Housing at Lemon Hill;
- Alder Grove Housing Complex; and
- Edge Water Housing Complex.
The 2,000 residents of these communities will be able to reserve the electric vehicles at self-service kiosks on-site. Car sharing service Zipcar powers the reservation system and will maintain the fleet. There will be no cost to use Our Community CarShare Sacramento for the residents.