From Teleoperation to Returnables: Operators Share What's Working and What's Next
The latest Carshare Operator Chat brought together members from across North America for a wide-ranging conversation covering technology, fleet decisions, community engagement, and conference planning. Below is a recap for members who couldn’t attend live.
1) Introductions and member updates
Tammy from Evo Carshare (Vancouver) joined as senior manager for product and process. Laura Vineyard, executive director of the Center for Community Transportation in Ithaca, NY, described how the organization has grown from its origins as Ithaca Carshare into a multi-modal operation that now includes Bike Walk Tompkins (cycling advocacy and education) and Ithaca Bikeshare — programs that complement each other neatly when members are looking to reduce car ownership altogether.
Michael Peters, CEO of Swale Mobility (Cleveland), operates a B2B station-based network and had just returned from a European operator summit. Jonathan from Quantum Mobility (Austin) reported their best month ever in April — more rentals and revenue with the same number of vehicles, driven by shorter, more frequent trips. Also on the call: Savannah from Modo, Vancouver’s member-owned cooperative (35,000 members, 1,000 cars, 20% electric, operating since 1997), and Drew (Joe Rathbun) of Colorado Carshare, a nonprofit running about 55 vehicles across Boulder and Denver.
2) Technology in Europe: B2B, AI-powered data, and teleoperation
Michael shared three themes from the Moko (Digital Mobility Solutions) annual summit, attended by roughly 40 European operators.
B2B as a utilization baseline. Many station-based operators are supplementing public carshare with B2B contracts to shore up utilization — a recurring theme across summit presentations.
Claude integration for data analysis. Moko can now pull booking system data directly through the Claude interface, giving operators a much faster path to meaningful analysis without manual exports. A notable development for anyone looking to do more with their data.
Teleoperation regulation is moving. Germany has updated its remote driving regulations, and an EU-wide framework is expected around 2027. Michael will have a speaking slot at the CSA conference to dig into this further.
3) Expanding into multi-modal
Clients are increasingly asking amenity-based carshare providers whether they also offer bikes or scooters. Jonathan noted Quantum is in early discussions with Ready Righty (Chicago) and Galax as potential partners. Laura’s model in Ithaca — where carshare, bikeshare, and cycling education all sit under one roof — was held up as a strong example of how these services can reinforce each other. Dart (Toronto) was also flagged as a comparable amenity-based operator that includes bikes.
4) Fleet mix: what vehicles do members actually want?
Laura raised a practical question many smaller operators face: how do you decide the right vehicle mix for your fleet? Ithaca runs mostly fuel-efficient hatchbacks but also operates a pickup truck and a couple of vans. When they surveyed members, the interest in trucks and vans was higher than expected. The group agreed this is worth a dedicated conversation at the conference — balancing member demand, vehicle cost, and utilization is a challenge that looks different at every fleet size.
5) Parking reform: a natural ally
Jonathan flagged the Parking Reform Network as a topic that deserves more than the earlier webinar could cover. The PRN operates globally, costs around $25 to join, and runs an active Slack community. As carshare operators have engaged with local chapters, parking reformers have started building carsharing into their policy asks — so that reduced parking minimums come paired with carshare solutions rather than just empty space. Nick from Quantum has already signed up and plans to meet with the PRN’s Saint Paul chapter contact in person. Worth checking whether there’s a chapter in your city.
6) Community engagement: grassroots works
A conversation earlier in the week with Courtney Carshare — a small organization serving Castlegar, Revelstoke, and nearby communities in rural BC — produced one of the call’s best examples. For years, they’ve collected returnables (bottles and cans) from community members, raising around $15,000 over time. More valuable than the money, though, is the regular community contact it creates. The group’s takeaway: the best engagement strategy doesn’t have to be polished. It just has to fit your context and get you in front of real people.
7) Conference reminders
- Ticket prices increase June 1st — buy before then, especially if you’re sending more than one person.
- Book through the conference hotel link — the CSA needs a minimum number of rooms filled to meet its venue commitment.
- Hub and Rome Link (both CSA members and insurance providers) will be at the conference; reach out directly if you have a renewal coming up before the fall.
- The Small CSO Series will offer hands-on sessions tailored to smaller operators. The organizing team is still shaping the agenda — if there’s a topic you want to dig into, let them know now.
These monthly chats continue through the summer. All CSA operator members are welcome — reach out if you’d like details on how to join.