Business FAQs
Membership Reference (A to Z of sharing a car)
Car sharing is for you!
We'll bet a Prius that it is! PhillyCarShare is great if you occasionally need a car or second car, and perfect if you:
- Live in the city
- Commute without a car (i.e. you walk, bike, take transit, work at home, or don't work)
- Need a car for business day-trips or meetings
PhillyCarShare provides the convenience of driving without the hassles and costs. Convinced already? Join here! We'll let you off the hook on that Prius. ;-)
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Joining is quick and easy.
Join here and receive your personal electronic key fob in a few days. It's that easy!
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You are eligible if you…
Eligibility as a business member is based on two things: your business needs to have more than one driver and be eligible to drive by the standards of our insurance company:
- Have a valid U.S. driver license for at least 2 years, or an international driving permit
- Are 21 years old
- Have at least an "okay" driving record for the past three years – no major violations (DUI, reckless driving, hit-and-run, etc.) and only a moderate rate of minor violations.
If employees are permanent Pennsylvania residents, the Commonwealth requires them to acquire a PA driver license within 60 days of residence.
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You can join if you have a foreign driver's license.
Hundreds of foreign drivers use PhillyCarShare! The employee will need an international permit from their home country (this is different from a license from their home country) or a valid U.S. driver license. They also must obtain their own driving record printed in English.
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An employee relinquished their out-of-state license when they moved to Pennsylvania. How do they get their old driver's license number?
They've got company! Here are some great tips we've learned over the years:
- If they had car insurance from their former state, try looking on the old forms or calling the insurance company.
- Have them check with any places where they've worked. They may have it on file.
- Check with Mom!
- If all else fails, most states have a DMV website that will provide it for less then $10. (Make sure it's the official state website! There are many imposters that will charge extra!)
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Okay, we're in. How do we get cars?
Reserve seconds or months in advance for vehicles available 24/7. Just hop on line or call us 24 hours per day at 215-730-0988. Get real-time availability for cars right in your neighborhood.
Unlock the vehicle using your own electronic key fob. Simply hold it over the reader on the windshield. The key fob not only unlocks the doors, it also unlocks the ignition and logs you into the car. Then cruise away! Always return to the same spot when you're done.
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The cars are in many convenient locations.
Check out our pod locations. We've got cars literally every few blocks throughout Central Philadelphia – closer than your neighbor might be able to park his own car!
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We have many vehicles to choose from.
Choose the type of car that suits your trip. Drive Toyota Priuses (hybrid gas-electric vehicles), Tacomas (pick-up trucks), Scion xBs (boxy wagons), and Matrixes (wagons).
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Availability is excellent.
Most reservations are made the same day, and often cars are available on a moment's notice. On most days, about half of our cars are just sitting around at any given time, waiting for you to pick them up. So a nearby car is almost always available. It's still a good idea to reserve the day before, if you know your travel plans ahead of time.
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How many cars are in each pod?
Each pod has at least one vehicle and many pods have several vehicles. When making a reservation at a particular pod, you're actually reserving a vehicle-type, not a specific car. Even in pods with multiple vehicles, the reservation system will display just one "availability bar" per vehicle type. No worries: yes, we really do have multiple cars there!
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We cover insurance!
We really do cover everything. Premium insurance is included. While driving our cars, you get $1 million comprehensive coverage per incident, including liability, collision, medical, etc. Your deductible is $500 for most losses but $0 for vandalism. Our insurance is primary before any policy you might hold for another vehicle.
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We cover gas!
We pay for it, but ask you to return with at least a quarter tank. To fuel up, use PhillyCarShare's fuel card located in the card holder to the left or right of the steering column. Swipe it like a normal credit card at the fuel pump, which will prompt you for a code and the odometer. Then fuel away. It's on us. Really!
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We maintain the cars!
We regularly wash, clean, maintain, and repair any damage, so you can avoid the hassle and expense.
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PhillyCarShare guarantees reliability!
In the very rare case that your reserved vehicle isn't ready (e.g. flat tire, dead battery, previous member returning late), we'll find you a nearby car as soon as possible or put you in a taxi or rental car at our expense and waive your entire reservation cost. With guaranteed reliability, you can be assured of always getting where you're going.
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Roof racks are ready for you.
Our Matrix Wagons at Schuylkill River Park (25th & Locust) and Passyunk Square (12th & Reed) come with roof racks. Plus we provide several pick-up trucks for hauling larger items.
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Use PhillyCarShare in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Go to the San Francisco Bay Area and use your electronic key fob to access City CarShare vehicles. You're fully insured there too. Let us know before you go, though, so we can make sure to coordinate with City CarShare and get a guest account set up for you.
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Smoking not allowed in the cars.
Enough said!
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What if I get a ticket?
It's yours! If you don't pay your ticket, the Parking Authority will tack on an extra $25 and send it to us. We'll pay it, but then we'll tack on $10 to process the ticket and track you down. So, for goodness sake, please pay it on time.
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You can cancel, shorten, or extend your reservations.
You can cancel or shorten any time simply by logging onto our website or by calling our reservation line at 215-730-0988. In advance, canceling or shortening is free. Near the last moment, you are responsible to pay for any cancelled time within three hours of the present. If another member picks up your cancelled time, you're off the hook.
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What if I'm running late?
If you need more time, just extend your reservation online or by calling 215-730-0988. Almost always, you can extend with no problem. But if another member has reserved the car right after you, you'll have to return the car when you'd originally planned. If you absolutely cannot, then we'll make arrangements for the next member and pass along late fees to you.
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We don't need a company car anymore! Where can we sell it?
Sell Your Car to Central City Toyota and receive $500 in PhillyCarShare driving credit!
See full details here.
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How much will it cost me?
It depends on how much you drive. Each driver, on average, spends just $50 per month, including insurance, gas, reserved parking, and the convenience of hassle-free mobility. Compare that to the cost of a car or traditional rental – what a savings! Members who previously owned cars report saving about $4,000 annually.
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Refer others and drive for free!
Refer any business account (10+ drivers) - especially the one where you work - to a new "Green Business" account, and we'll plunk a $200 free driving credit into your account!
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Car sharing is probably less expensive than owning your own car.
Using PhillyCarShare can save businesses a lot of money versus owning their own cars or reimbursing employees. According to AAA, if you drive 10,000 miles a year, you will spend an average of $6,822 annually, or 68.2 cents per mile, to own a car! AAA's breakdown is below. If you currently own a car, you may want to adjust the figures based on your known costs. Note that AAA's national averages do not account for Philadelphia's notoriously high costs of parking, insurance, or parking tickets.
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