Car-sharing is part of the County’s Master Transportation Plan and supports the goals of complementing and extending the reach of transit and other travel options such as biking and walking, alleviating parking and traffic congestion, reducing greenhouse gases and particulate emissions, reducing personal vehicle ownership and household transportation costs, and increasing travel convenience and accessibility.
More information on car-sharing in Arlington can be found on the Commuter Page.
In December 2016, the County Board authorized an ordinance related to car-sharing (Chapter 14.2 of the Arlington County Code), defining car-share programs in Arlington, proscribing a competitive procurement of car-share services, and establishing parking permissions and enforcement procedures for authorized car-share vehicles.
Based on this ordinance, the County Manager and staff established programs for two types of car-share service in Arlington’s public right of way:
- Reserved-space car-share
- Free-floating car-share
Other car-share services that are available, but are not managed or regulated by the County include Getaround and Turo, which are peer-to-peer services operating without special access permissions to the public right-of-way. Peer-to-peer car-share (also known as person-to-person car-share and peer-to-peer car rental) is the process whereby existing car owners make their vehicles available for others to rent for short periods of time. These vehicles may be parked in the public right-of-way following the same rules as any other privately owned vehicle.
In this program, trips start and end in locations reserved exclusively for car-sharing. Currently, one company operates reserved-space service in Arlington – Zipcar.
Spaces are identified with reserved car-share parking signs (see image to the right). For any issues with enforcement, call 703-558-2222.
The County awarded Zipcar with the reserved-space car-share contract on June 14, 2018.
The County has also released a new Request for Proposal (RFP) for car-sharing on Jan. 22, 2024. Visit Arlington County Vendor Registry for details on the procurement.
The program allows Arlington County staff to adjust the scope of work on an annual basis, if necessary, using ongoing data analysis and resident feedback. Contact staff at carsharing@arlingtonva.us to share your feedback throughout the program’s implementation.
Program Summary
- Number of contractors: 1 (Zipcar)
- Fees: The program utilizes a competitive process to allocate parking spaces. There is a fee associated with obtaining access to spaces for this restricted use.
- Locations: For a list of current locations for reserved space car-share, please see Arlington County Official GIS Data Portal.
Contact staff at carsharing@arlingtonva.us to share your feedback throughout the program’s implementation.
In this system, trips start and end in different locations throughout Arlington County and the District of Columbia. Free-floating car-share first became a part of Arlington’s mobility options in 2015.
Program Summary
- Number of contractors: 0 (Free2Move ceased operations in Arlington on Sept. 30, 2021)
The program allows Arlington County staff to adjust the scope of work on an annual basis, if necessary, using ongoing data analysis and resident feedback. Contact staff at carsharing@arlingtonva.us to share your feedback throughout the program’s implementation.
Arlington County staff analyzed potential costs associated with private vehicle ownership and car-share usage on a household level.
Car-sharing offers many advantages:
- Reduced upfront costs: Ditch the significant expense of buying and maintaining a car.
- Increased flexibility: Access a variety of vehicles only when you need them, from compact cars to larger SUVs, perfect for errands or weekend getaways.
- Potential cost savings: Pay only for the time and distance you use a car, potentially saving money compared to owning a vehicle you use infrequently.
However, the cost comparison is individual and depends on several factors:
- Type of vehicle owned: Owning a smaller car will likely cost less than a larger one.
- Chosen car-sharing service: Rates can vary depending on the platform.
- Average annual mileage: Frequent drivers might find owning a car more cost-effective.
To help you understand your specific situation, Arlington County staff analyzed different car ownership and car-sharing usage scenarios relevant to Arlington residents. We encourage you to explore these findings to see if car-sharing could be a smart and budget-friendly choice for you. Our 2017 analysis showed, as described in the summary report and cost table, that:
- Under 2,000 VMT annually, car-share appears the most economically efficient on a household level.
- Over 6,000 VMT annually, car ownership is, in almost all cases, economically more efficient than car-share.
- Car-share services are best used as regular first-last-mile connectors and for infrequent trip taking.
- Arlington residents owning more than one vehicle or considering buying their first vehicle are most likely to realize considerable savings by using car-share.