While the market may be changing, EVO won't be going anywhere, BCAA says

Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says after ride-hailing was approved, he expected changes to the market

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – The mayor of Vancouver says he’s surprised SHARE NOW, formerly known as Car2Go, is pulling out of the city, but suggests it’s a symptom of ride-hailing’s imminent arrival.

The company announced Wednesday it would be ceasing service in five North American cities, as well as three in Europe, in February of 2020.

In a news release, SHARE NOW cites the “volatile state of the global mobility landscape” and the lack of necessary infrastructure for the decision. It says it will continue to operate in 18 cities in Europe.

But Vancouver Mayor Kennedy Stewart says while he was surprised by the move, after ride-hailing’s approval in British Columbia he was expecting an impact on the market.

“I was anticipating there would be some change to how the market works, and again this is why it’s important for us to understand how these companies impact cities,” he says.

“With ride-hailing, with Uber and Lyft and Kater and these other companies coming in, there are a lot of adjustments we have to make to bays for dropping people off and picking people up. There’s parking spaces, signage that needs to be changed – there is an economic impact and we’re hoping that these companies, through the modest business licences and pick up and drop off fees, that we don’t absorb this in our property tax base but give people options to travel around the city and region.”

And while the market may be changing, Tai Silvey, the vice-president of car-sharing at BCAA, says Car2Go competitor EVO is not going anywhere.

“We’re very committed to this market. Being a local player, we know what it takes to operate here and we’re looking forward to continuing to serve Vancouverites. We are here to stay,” he says.

“EVO is a B.C.-based company and we’re very committed to the Vancouver market so we’re not going anywhere. We’ve grown our home zone, we’ve grown our fleet up to 1,500 cars – we’ve always been in growth mode, since the beginning.”