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GM touts Ann Arbor car sharing project

Maven car-sharing service app image
courtesy
/
www.mavendrive.com
GM's Maven car-sharing service now has more than 20,000 members around the country.

General Motors is evaluating a year-old car-sharing program. WKAR's Scott Pohl talks with executive director of urban mobility Peter Kosak about Maven.

General Motors launched a car-sharing service called Maven a year ago in Ann Arbor, working with professionals from Zipcar, Sidecar and Google. Since then, other cities have been added and further expansion is likely.

WKAR’s Scott Pohl has been to the Detroit Auto Show preview days this week. He speaks with GM’s executive director of urban mobility Peter Kosak about how Maven works. Kosak is pleased with the results in Ann Arbor and elsewhere.

Launched in 15 major cities, logging more than 55-million miles on the road.

Members sign up with a credit card and download an app to their smart phones. The app can then be used to make a reservation, unlock the doors, and start the vehicle. It then needs to be returned to the same space. Kosak describes Maven as "an alternative to ownership." In Ann Arbor, GM has run a pilot project for one-way trips.

Kosak says places like Ann Arbor and Lansing are ripe for ride sharing services; he envisions service in Lansing down the road.Rates for smaller cars start at about $6 per hour. The cost to rent a top-line SUV is $20 per hour.

We’ll have more on the Maven car sharing service this weekend on Current State.

Scott Pohl is a general assignment news reporter and produces news features and interviews. He is also an alternate local host on NPR's "Morning Edition."
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