- Expanding Popularity of Carsharing Isn't Limited to Urban Areas Anymore
In various municipalities within Rhineland-Palatinate, the availability of car-pooling services is on the rise. The Regional Energy Agency, which offers advice and information on alternative modes of transportation to local communities, estimates that around 60 cities or smaller towns currently have a car-pooling option available. The customer base is also expanding. As for Trier, it's reported that "the offer is consistently growing due to an increase in user numbers, and it's expected to continue expanding in the future." Even in rural areas, there are car-pooling services available or in the process of being established.
Sometimes a commercial entity is responsible, other times it's the local utilities, and on occasion, a cooperative organization is involved. However, demand isn't increasing in every location. Neuwied saw the local utilities enter the car-pooling market in 2018, but it's uncertain if it will expand further, a spokesperson noted. "We can see that the topic requires marketing and communication to keep demand sustained." It's also evident that the service isn't profitable.
In some locations, cooperative organizations contribute to the provision of car-pooling services, such as in Neuwied. Despite the local utilities introducing car-pooling in 2018, the service's expansion remains uncertain due to the need for continued marketing and communication, highlighting the importance of other strategies beyond simple supply.
