New car-share available for Adelaide motorists as Flexicar sets up before GoGet moves out

As the state’s only car-share network readies to pull out of Adelaide, a new provider has arrived with plans to expand. Here is where you can now find a car.

The RAA is stepping in to fill a void left by the state’s only carshare provider as it readies to pull out of Adelaide.

GoGet notified its customers last month it would remove its 15 cars from SA on April 16, blaming “continued market uncertainty”.

The company, which established in SA in 2013 but operates bigger fleets in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne, said it planned to focus on “growing markets”.

Members of the carshare scheme paid an annual fee to have vehicles parked in designated places, using a special smart card to swipe over the windscreen to unlock the doors.

Yesterday, the RAA revealed it had formed a partnership with rental company Hertz to bring its carsharing scheme, Flexicar, to SA.

Motorists now have 24/7 access to seven vehicles at parking bays in Bowden, Glenelg, Tonsley and at the RAA in Mile End.

The plan is for a further 13 vehicles – including SUVs, people movers and utes – to become available from April 19.

RAA spokesman Mark Borlace said he expected the service would be popular with people who did not have a car but needed one occasionally.

“But we also believe it will be useful for car owners who need a second vehicle from time to time,” he said.

“We need to adapt and provide a larger range of services which meet the flexible mobility solutions motorists are looking for.”

Long-time Adelaide GoGet member Alice Clanachan was ‘devastated’ to learn the city looked set to lose its only car-share provider. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Flexicar vehicles will be available for collection and return at designated car spaces around metropolitan Adelaide. Picture: Supplied

Members can book a vehicle using the Flexicar website or App, with vehicles to be returned to the same spot at the end of the trip.

Vehicles are available at a flat rate which includes unlimited kilometres with hourly bookings, petrol, insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance included.

Carers SA Chief Executive Officer David Militz, has previously told the Advertiser he sees benefits in the car-share model, and would like to see it rolled out to country SA.

“Transport is a huge issue, particularly for people in regional and rural areas,” he said.

Adelaide-based long-time GoGet member and museum collection manager Alice Clanachan had said she was “devastated” to learn several months ago Adelaide’s only car-share provider was pulling its fleet out of the city. So much so, she had considering moving state.

“The cost of owning a car in a single person household versus having the flexibility to pay for a car when I need it, is a no-brainer … I don’t need to pay for petrol or insurance,” she said at the time.

“(It) allows me independence and means I don’t have to rely on other people – if I have visitors from interstate, I can book a car for the day or weekend.

Ms Clanachan said she planned to join up to the new car-share program.