Adelaide loses its only car-sharing network: GoGet announces it is pulling its fleet out of SA

South Australia’s only car-share provider is pulling its fleet out of Adelaide. Is this state just not ready for the concept? We ask the experts.

GoGet is announcing it is pulling its fleet out of SA ... long-time customer Alice Clanachan is devastated. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Museum collection manager Alice Clanachan is “devastated” Adelaide’s only car-share provider is pulling its fleet out of the city – so much so, she’s considering moving states.

However, South Australia’s top motoring body says car-sharing is part of SA’s future and new schemes will emerge here.

GoGet notified its customers by email last month it would be removing its 15 cars from SA on April 16, blaming “continued market uncertainty and what we’ve learnt from COVID-19”.

The company has been in SA since 2013 but operates much bigger fleets in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne and says it plans to focus on these “growing markets”.

Members to the scheme pay an annual fee to access cars, utes and vans that are parked in designated places on city streets, using a special smart card to swipe over the windscreen to activate a device which unlocks the doors.

Ms Clanachan, who has been a member for the past decade, first in Melbourne before relocating to Adelaide, said she was initially drawn to the scheme for environmental reasons but it also made good sense for her financially.

“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.

“(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.

“I am so devastated, so much so I am reconsidering my future in Adelaide as it really impacts on how I live my life.”

But the RAA’s Mark Borlace said car-sharing was an important part of the state’s transport mix moving forward.

In fact, the future mobility expert said his organisation was in the final stages of its own car share initiative with plans to roll it out before GoGet leaves.

“We don’t think it is a fad that has come through and is now going to wane,” Mr Borlace said.

“There are a lot of people seeking inner-city living and that is only going to grow … the appetite (for car sharing) will increase as the city becomes denser, parking becomes too expensive, inconvenient or non-existent.”

He predicted many two-car families would reduce to one, making use of car-share networks as needed, while schemes to better utilise cars parked in garages would also emerge.

Carers SA Chief Executive Officer David Militz, too, sees benefits in the car-share model, despite a pilot trialled by his organisation failing to gain traction.

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

“It makes sense to make vehicles that aren’t being used available to people as they are needed, both individuals and (charity) organisations (but) it needs buy in from the state and local governments … insurance is another barrier as well as getting the technology right.”

GoGet said it wouldn’t rule out a return to SA.

“We believe momentum (for car sharing) will continue to build … it’s hard to put a timeline on a return at this point,” the spokesman said.