One might not think of senior citizens and carsharing as a natural fit, but Zipcar has forged ahead with a partnership with AARP to make the offer to this growing demographic. For many senior citizens, private car ownership has always been a part of adult life and not long ago the choice of vehicle make and model was an important expression of one’s personal of style and social status. Carsharing services have been much more popular with younger people and Zipcar’s own research shows Millennials to be more dependent on mobile phones than cars. So how dos a carsharing organization make its services attractive to a group that has been committed to private car ownership for so many years?
Private car ownership can make sense for people that use a vehicle regularly for work or business and spend a lot of time travelling. Retired (or semi-retired) persons have reduced need for mobility to satisfy the imperatives of business and/or employment. Senior citizen often downsize from large family home to smaller apartments and condos that are close to the amenities and services that senior want (health care, golf, shopping, walkable communities,etc.) and with reductions in vehicle miles travelled, the economic rationale for owning and maintaining a private car diminishes.
Seniors also need to plan for their advanced years when driving a car may no longer be safe. Using carsharing services reduces dependency on the private car and creates opportunities and incentives for seniors to use other modes of transportation like ridesharing, cycling/walking and public transit. It makes sense for retired people to develop their transportation alternatives before their driver’s licenses are abruptly taken away owing to a medical condition.
The most difficult challenges with selling carsharing services to older people are cultural. If retired people view carsharing as something college students do to save money, it won’t have much appeal. If the AARP is able to position carsharing as a smart lifestyle choice that is being used by other seniors that increases flexibility, enhances lifestyle, and opens up new possibilities for mobility, the carsharing offer will be much more successful.
What is your carsharing organization doing to appeal to older drivers?