After launching in B.C.’s largest city more than three years ago, vehicle-sharing company Car2go is now allowing its fleet to take off from Richmond and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
The expanded service went live December 4, when car2go added 50 more of its iconic Smart cars to its local fleet of 700 vehicles.
Chris Iuvancigh, the location manager for Car2go Vancouver, said Richmond was the “overwhelming” choice among its members after the company spent much of the last year focused on deploying services in North Vancouver.
“We’re really excited with having the airport and the reason we went there is because we focused on what our members wanted,” he said.
“There’s a lot of members who live in Richmond who use the service in Vancouver, so now we’re allowing them to take that car right to their door instead of leaving it at a (SkyTrain station).”
Although this marks Car2Go’s first major expansion in Richmond, the service was previously available in a more limited capacity at the city’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University campus located near the Canada Line.
Car2go has about 75,000 members in B.C. and is available at locations such as Horseshoe Bay, the University of B.C endowment lands and Grouse Mountain.
Service is also available in more than a dozen cities across North America, including Toronto, Calgary and Portland, Ore.
Iuvancigh said members from other cities would be able land in YVR and use the vehicles without too many hiccups.
“Some of the parking rules are different in each city so we really recommend members check (local guidelines),” he said.
“The rules that apply in Seattle may not really apply here but the service will work.”
