Who needs a car downtown Toronto when there are Zipcars and Autoshare locations all over Toronto. There is an Autoshare location within a half block of my downtown Toronto office space in the Toronto Star Building. The condominium building called “Pinnacle” across the road is an Autoshare location. There is a Zipcar location on Queens Quay that is only a two minute walk from 1 Yonge Street.
For those not familiar with Zipcar or Autoshare, these are car sharing and car club services that allow members to utilize a vehicle on an hourly or part day basis. This type of service is easier than Toronto car rental and car ownership. You simply book the car you want at the time and the pick up location. When you arrive at the location, you simply place your access card on the windshield sensor and the doors are unlocked for you. The keys are in the car and you go on your way.
It really is true that you do not need to own a car in downtown Toronto. Whether you live and work downtown or if you commute into downtown via GO Train, Go Bus or VIA Rail to your downtown office space in Toronto, you can use one of these car sharing services. When you just need a car to run around the city for an hour or two, you just reserve one. Not having to worry about gas and insurance are just two of the added bonuses of using a Zipcar or Autoshare. Each of these companies offers a number of pick up locations throughout the city with a variety of vehicles.