Buffalo CarShare, a not-for-profit with 14 cars in upstate New York, has made creating positive social impacts a central part of the business plan. BCS has deliberately stayed away from markets that profit-oriented operators consider attractive (e.g. university campuses and young affluent neighborhoods) and carved out a niche providing services to lower income residents of Buffalo.
“CarShare can really be a solution for just about everyone, and that’s what we’re trying to highlight. We are excited to be hosting other CarSharing Association members and a number of hopefuls from various cities that are interested in starting a program in their city. We think there’s unlimited potential to scale up this model in Rust Belt cities like Buffalo.” said BCS Executive Director Creighton Randall.
In addition to helping Buffalo residents, BCS also helps small, emerging community-based carshares. Along the way, BCS has been supported by funders like NYSERDA, NYSDOT, and the Oishei Foundation. With the assistance of Community CarShare in Canada, BCS is hosting a one-day event on August 6, 2013 to help people who want to develop a “carsharing concept” into a financial and operational plan for community-oriented carsharing organization. Information about the Startup Symposium being held in Niagara Falls, NY can be found here.
BCS is a member of the CarSharing Association and a leader amongst US non-profit carsharing organizations.