Posts Tagged by Pat Mahan
Car Sharing — a Reason for Hope for a Brighter Tomorrow? — Final Part in a Series of Eight
| July 16, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
I point out to my guest (Pat Mahan from FunRide) that I see a great deal of reason for alarm with the expanding war, no clean energy policy in the US, etc. — and I ask, “Does the story have a happy ending?” Pat sees the phenomenon of car sharing as a reason for hope for a brighter tomorrow, and discusses his rationale with me here.
2GreenEnergy Report – Car Sharing, Demographics and Alternative Fuel Vehicles – Part Seven in a Series
| July 13, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
FunRide’s Pat Mahan was on the 2GreenEnergy Report, discussing the demographics that make car sharing work. I’ve observed that ZipCar, the 600 pound gorilla of car sharing, tends to do well in certain cities, and not so well in others. What constitutes the difference? What is there about FunRide that may render my observation irrelevant? Their fleet is 100% AFVs (alternative fuel vehicles) — but does that make a difference? If so, why?
I hope you’ll check it out.
Car Sharing and Its Role in Sustainability – Part Six in a Series
| July 9, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Pat Mahan explicates his organization’s long-term plans on the 2GreenEnergy Report. I really loved having Pat on the show. He was comfortable and relaxed, but really took the obligation to articulate the value of car sharing — especially sharing alternative fuel vehicles — extremely seriously. Check out FunRide to lean more.
I’m completely convinced that this whole idea occupies an important part of the “sustainability wedge.”
Car Sharing’s New Ideas – Part Five in a Series
| July 6, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Here, I interview FunRide’s Pat Mahan on some of the new ideas that are at the forefront of the concept of car sharing. I offer Pat what I thought was a terrific idea: car sharing on college campuses to reduce drunk driving and other uses of cars that really don’t need to happen — not that I had, in my younger days, any personal experience with that. Ahem….
Pat was polite — but more or less immediately changed the subject — as he had yet a better idea.
FunRide: Car Sharing with a Twist – Alternative Fuel Vehicles – Part Four in a Series
| July 5, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
FunRide‘s Pat Mahan explains that his company represents “car sharing with a twist,” i.e., a fleet of 100% alternative fuel vehicles.
I first came across this company years ago when I first set out to learn something about electric vehicles. I participated in several meetings in which the company’s founder, Mark Shaffer, explained that the thought the presence of AFVs would make a material difference to market demand for the product. Looks like he may be right.
Car Sharing — Social Benefits — Part Three in a Series
| July 3, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Pat Mahan of FunRide discusses the social benefits of car sharing with me on a recent airing of the 2GreenEnergy Report.
In my mind, the degree to which car sharing is successful is an indicator of the degree to which people have divorced themselves of the “I am what I drive” concept — and, in my opinion, that realization that can’t come too soon. When you think about it, car sharing is the ultimate freedom in the auto space; it’s the statement that “Not only do I not identify my level of success with the value of that piece of steel in the driveway — I don’t even own one at all.”
What Is FunRide? Car Sharing and Alternative Fuel Vehicles — Part 2 in a Series
| July 1, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Here’s another snippet of my talk with Pat Mahan from FunRide. Here, he talks about his organization, which offers car sharing and alternative fueled vehicles.
I ran across FunRide a couple of years ago in meetings I had with electric vehicle enthusiasts in San Luis Obispo, CA. I was concerned that the density of cars and people was not sufficiently high in that region to support this concept, but, in hindsight, I’m not sure that’s true. One thing is for certain: the demographics of that area can’t get any better for progressive thinking and behavior.
Car Sharing with Alternative Fuel Vehicles – Part One
| June 30, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Here’s Funride’s Pat Mahan speaking with me about car sharing and alternative fuel vehicles on a recent episode of the 2GreenEnergy Report.
Car sharing is an important phenomenon, insofar as it reduces the net number of cars that are on our roads. But interestingly, it signals (to me, at least) that perhaps I’m right in my theory about the paradign shift in driving habits.
Here are people who are willing to give up ownership of their cars and see auto transportation as purely utilitarian. I wonder how many people like that there are. Let me tell you, if you’ve ever lived in Washington DC (I was there for four years) you have one realization real quick: this is no place to own, park, drive, and insure a car of your own.
Car Sharing with a Twist – Alternative Fuel Vehicles
| June 26, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
Funride’s Director of Operations Pat Mahan discusses alternative fuel vehicles and the fantastic social and personal benefits of car sharing with me on a recent episode of the 2GreenEnergy Report. I’ve known about Funride for a couple of years, and I was delighted to have Pat on the show. Car sharing generally is a phenomenon that I expect to see enjoy a meteoric rise over the coming 10 – 20 years, and Funride’s “car sharing with a twist” (AFVs) is in prime position to lead the way.
Funride – Car Sharing with a Unique Twist
| May 26, 2010 | Posted by Craig Shields under Electric Vehicles |
What do you know about car sharing? You know – the idea that your life circumstances may require you to have access to a car as needed, yet they may make it supremely impractical to own one.
Take a moment and add up the annual cost of your car: the payments, the depreciation, the maintenance, the insurance – plus the aggravation of parking – and then compare that cost to the actual number of hours per year you actually need the car. Might you be better off to rent one online on an as-needed basis, pick it up from any of hundreds of convenient local parking spaces, and later drop it off essentially wherever you want — rather than owning a car — and paying for it — 24 hours a day, 365 days a year?
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