I-GO explained

I-GO
Fate:Sold to Enterprise Holdings
Successor:Enterprise CarShare
Hq Location Country:United States
Area Served:Chicago, Illinois

I-GO was a Chicago-based car sharing organization which is owned by Enterprise Holdings. It was established in 2002 by the Center for Neighborhood Technology as an independent 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization working in the fields of urban livability and sustainability. I-GO was sold to Enterprise Holdings in May 2013 and re-branded as Enterprise CarShare.[1]

History

Stated mission

I-GO’s stated mission was to reduce car ownership rates, decrease transportation costs, reduce urban congestion, and improve air quality in Chicago. It focuses on a convenient and economic way to commute without having to own a car and to reduce vehicle miles travelled and greenhouse gas emissions.[3]

Operations

I-GO had cars located in approximately 30 Chicago neighborhoods. I-GO members reserved a vehicle online or by calling its customer service. Members could also create and modify their reservations using smartphones. Once a reservation had been created, the member accesses the reserved car using a member card. As of June 2009, I-GO had more than 12,000 members and 185 cars available for use.

The average fuel efficiency of I-GO's fleet was 35 miles per gallon, and the fleet was composed of low-emission vehicles. Approximately 40% of the fleet were hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles

I-GO added the first two plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to its fleet of vehicles in April 2009 as a result of a joint effort with electricity provider ComEd.

Partnerships

I-GO had strategic partnerships and alliances with government offices, local businesses, as well as other non-profits and independent car sharing organizations. Among others, I-GO worked closely with the Chicago Transit Authority, City of Chicago and Chicago Park District. Businesses such as Whole Foods and Dominick's provided parking spaces dedicated to I-GO cars, and I-GO also worked with universities, including Northwestern University, University of Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, DePaul University, University of Illinois at Chicago and Illinois Institute of Technology.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Badger . Emily . May 29, 2013 . What Happens When a Nonprofit Car-Sharing Service Gets Bought By a Major Rental Company? . https://web.archive.org/web/20140310204715/http://www.theatlanticcities.com/commute/2013/05/what-happens-when-nonprofit-car-sharing-service-gets-bought-major-rental-company/5727/ . dead . March 10, 2014 . 2023-02-20 .
  2. News: Wernau . Julie . 2013-05-28 . Enterprise buying Chicago's I-Go car service . Chicago Tribune . 2013-07-20.
  3. Web site: About us : I-GO Car Sharing . Igocars.org . 2010-11-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101125094206/http://www.igocars.org/about/ . 2010-11-25 .