Cubellis

Week One:

We have made it through week one, and there have been no hardships found yet! Our goal through this challenge was to help educate our clients in more sustainable business practices. To that end, I have reserved a new Smart car for a construction meeting this Wednesday. Rather than ride along in a non-team member’s SUV, we’ll be arriving in small style in one of the most efficient cars in the PhillyCarShare fleet. The car’s proximity to our office makes it an easy alternative to parking and driving a personal car, and the price will reduce reimbursable costs to our budget-conscious client. I can’t wait to see the look on the contractor’s face when I pull up behind his four-door pick up truck!

Week Two:

This past week, more employees took advantage of PhillyCarShare, as project requirements dictated for site visits and client meetings. The Smart car worked perfectly and was a major topic of conversation when we pulled up to the construction site. The site superintendent was astounded at the growth of the program, and has begun taking note of the cars when he sees them drive by.

Also last week, a former summer intern was presenting her thesis at Philadelphia University. While there are trains to and from the area, the time of night we would be leaving made renting a car a better option. Like many things, the thesis presentations were going long, so we found how easy it is to extend reservations, even after hours by phone.

This week, we have two new members trying cars out for the first time. Looking forward to hearing their impressions!

Week Three:

My first experience with PhillyCarShare was bittersweet. I had two meetings scheduled for Friday, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I went online and reserved a car that was conveniently located near my work on JFK Blvd. I had everything all set and coordinated; like when I was going to take the first trip return to the office to and get ready for my second meeting. I was even excited about driving a hybrid for the first time. I was ready to go.

Tuesday rolls around and my first meeting of the day was canceled, so I had to go back online and change my reservations, which turned out to be very easy. Now all I had to worry about was Friday’s afternoon meeting. I was keeping in mind that I should give myself a little extra time the first stab at using PhillyCarShare and I was a little nervous, but all was good.

Friday morning arrives and my afternoon meeting was canceled at about 10:00 in the morning, I was worried about canceling the second car because I wasn’t sure if it was too late, but once again it was no problem. So after experiencing all of the first time nerves, I still get to go through that again because I have yet to drive a PhillyCarShare car, but I did find out how convenient it is to reserve and cancel reservations. Bittersweet huh?

Laura Hamilton - Interior Design

Week Four:

Last week I had the opportunity to use PhillyCarShare for the first time to attend a project meeting in Mt. Laurel, NJ. I reserved a Prius that was close in proximity to my house in South Philly. It took a little time to figure out how to start the Hybrid car, but fortunately I was able to reach a PhillyCarShare representative on their emergency line and she walked me through it. I had taken the metal key out of the small plastic box, when you are supposed to just insert the box into the slot near the ignition…dummy! Once I got that squared away, I was off to New Jersey. Fun car to drive by the way! After the meeting, I filled the gas tank up in NJ to take advantage of the slightly lower gas prices and returned to its spot on East Passyunk Ave. From there, I walked to the Tasker/Morris stop on the Broad Street line and took that into Center City. Without PhillyCarShare, I would normally use my personal car to attend meetings and have to pay for parking in Center City. I must say that planning the trip through PhillyCarShare was just as easy and more affordable. I just booked another one for a second meeting this Friday. It should be much smoother sailing after getting the basics down last week!

Emily Ryan - Interior Design

Week Five:

My commitment to the Walk Ride Share program mainly meant never driving my car to the train, a bad habit I had gotten into. Last month I discovered that if I just walk around the block, I can avoid the dirty, depressing street that I thought I needed to pass on my way to the train. Also, it turns out that walking in the rain is really not a big deal with an umbrella.

I used PhillyCarShare several times last month for work, and I love it! Pods are located a short walk from my home in Germantown. And I feel so virtuous when I drive to northern New Jersey in a Prius and see what a small amount of gas I consume. Although the commitment was geared specifically for work-related travel, I tried also to stay in the spirit by using my bike much more for errands, visiting friends, and occasionally biking to work. This past month has definitely pushed me in the right direction toward minimizing my car usage. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll take the PhillyCarShare plunge and sell my pick-up truck!

Jean Gajary

Cubellis’ End Statement:

Through the Walk Ride Share program, and Cubellis’ commitment to educating ourselves and our clients on more sustainable business practices, we have learned quite a bit and shown our clients that driving less, or more efficiently not only makes sound business sense, it’s easy! From local contractors to clients in New York City, we’ve shown our dedication to the cause of saving energy, money, and the hassle of using personal cars for business use. We hope others will follow our lead as we continue to use PhillyCarShare as part of our business operations.