I don't have a car, don't want one, and couldn't afford one even if I did. I do, however, need a vehicle every few months to pick up whatever desk I bought online or to go grocery shopping at stores that require public transportation transfers. So, a year ago I joined I-GO, Chicago's car sharing service. I made a good decision.
It cost me $75 to join for the year. After that, I pay nothing unless I use a car. When I do use one, I make a reservation online and pay $6/hr., plus 50 cents a mile. This covers gas, insurance, repairs, and whatever other costs are associated with automobiles. If you keep late hours like I do, the hourly rate is waived from 11 PM to 7 AM, so grocery shopping at night can cost like $4.
I used I-GO sparingly when I first joined because none of the cars were that close to me. There are several nearby now, though, and I use them with some frequency. Here's where they're presently located in the neighborhood (more get added as more people join):
Edgewater
5345 N. Broadway -- 2 cars (Jewel)
5250 N. Sheridan
1118 W. Thorndale (Thorndale Red Line Stop)
5516 N. Clark (Jewel)
Ravenswood
4500 N. Winchester (2 cars)
4647 N. Lincoln
4715 N. Western
Rogers Park
1215 W. Albion (Loyola University)
7531 N. Clark (Gateway Shopping Center)
Uptown
4747 N. Clifton (Bridgeview Bank)
4251 N. Clarendon (Brennemann Elementary)
first city-
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Posted by: gf | 18 February 2006 at 08:06 AM