As the company plans to cease operations in a number of markets, carsharing’s future in the rapidly shifting world of mobility is unclear.

Katie Pyzyk reports that car2go, the carsharing service, has announced it will stop operations in five North American cities: Austin, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Denver; Chicago; and Calgary, Alberta.
"The string of car-sharing businesses folding or significantly reducing market reach in rapid succession has raised plenty of questions about the sector's profitability and business model feasibility," notes Pyzyk.
Urban mobility is changing quickly, and the trend for shared mobility ventures is toward non-car, lower-emissions modes, such as scooters, says Pyzyk. Car sharing also requires higher startup, operations, and maintenance costs. "A hefty amount of capital is needed up-front just to purchase one vehicle, and the loss of a vehicle to theft or retirement at end of life would create a larger impact on a car-focused shared mobility business than a scooter-focused one," adds Pyzyk.
FULL STORY: Car2Go's exit from 5 cities raises car-sharing viability questions

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.

Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.

Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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