Impact Study
“What a great idea!”
PhillyCarShare exists not only for the benefit of its members but for the city of Philadelphia as a whole. Econsult, a nationally-recognized local consulting firm, has analyzed membership usage, survey results, and other data from 2009 to determine the impact PhillyCarShare has had on the city, and we are excited to share the results!
Economical Benefits:
Because members can use vehicles without needing to own one, they’ve cut back significantly on driving-related expenses. Considering the average, local costs of vehicle ownership as opposed to those associated with a PhillyCarShare membership, each member saves about $2,850 annually on average.
PhillyCarShare members had a $13.2 million increase in purchasing power. Assuming an average marginal tax rate of 25 percent, this is like PhillyCarShare members getting an aggregate $18 million annual increase in their salaries. Those members are then able to spend their savings locally, thus supporting 150 jobs in the city.
Environmental Benefits:
Our members gave up over 4,500 vehicles, meaning each vehicle in PhillyCarShare’s fleet has taken 15 privately-owned vehicles off the road.
PhillyCarShare members drove 17 million fewer miles (compared to the average Philadelphia driver), cutting back on 770,000 gallons of gasoline, 40,000 barrels of oil, and also saving the air from 7,000 tons of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
The reduction of the number of cars and the miles driven by PhillyCarShare members has saved the city from approximately 47,000 hours of traffic delay.
