City CarShare
Former San Francisco Bay Area carsharing service that operated hourly vehicle rentals from 2001 until its operations were taken over by Getaround in 2016.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
City CarShare was a carsharing service established in 2001 to provide short-term access to shared automobiles in the San Francisco Bay Area. Rather than requiring members to own a vehicle, the service allowed them to use cars for limited periods and pay according to their usage. Its operating model was based on hourly rentals and the placement of shared vehicles in designated locations, making it relevant to urban transportation, parking policy, and efforts to reduce the need for private car ownership. At its launch, City CarShare was the only carsharing program operating in the San Francisco area. The organization expanded beyond its initial market during its early years, reaching Oakland, Berkeley, and Palo Alto by 2002. This expansion gave the service a broader regional footprint and positioned it as an early participant in the development of organized carsharing in the United States. A notable operational change occurred in 2004, when City CarShare sold vehicles from its fleet in favor of using shared vehicles. The shift reflected the service's central proposition: transportation access could be organized around shared use rather than individual ownership. The company therefore functioned less like a conventional car-rental brand and more like a membership-based urban mobility service. City CarShare also participated in the institutional development of carsharing. In 2011, it was one of 18 organizations involved in forming the North American CarSharing Association. City CarShare was among the association's lead organizations, and the new association reportedly had 100,000 members at launch. That role connected the company to a wider North American network of carsharing operators and organizations working to establish common visibility and legitimacy for the sector. In the same year, City CarShare partnered with the City and County of San Francisco to obtain on-street parking spaces reserved exclusively for its vehicles. This arrangement linked the brand's operating model to public infrastructure and municipal transportation policy. Reserved curbside locations could make shared vehicles easier for members to find and return, while also giving the city a mechanism for supporting a mobility service intended to complement private vehicle ownership. City CarShare ultimately ceased operating as an independent service in November 2016. It reached an agreement with Getaround, a for-profit carsharing company, under which Getaround took over City CarShare's fleet, parking spaces, and member base. The transaction effectively ended City CarShare's independent operations and transferred important parts of its operating platform and customer relationship to another carsharing provider. The brand is therefore a historical example of early regional carsharing rather than an active transportation service.
History
City CarShare began operating in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2001. It entered a local transportation environment in which private car ownership was common but increasingly difficult and expensive to reconcile with dense urban neighborhoods, limited parking, and the desire for alternatives to personal vehicles. Its service offered members access to cars rented by the hour, allowing users to obtain mobility for specific trips without owning a car full time. At its inception, City CarShare was the only carsharing program in the San Francisco area. The service expanded quickly within the region, reaching Oakland, Berkeley, and Palo Alto by 2002. This geographic growth established City CarShare as a Bay Area-wide operator rather than a service limited to San Francisco proper. Its expansion also demonstrated the importance of locating shared vehicles in several urban communities so that members could use them for local errands, appointments, and other short-duration transportation needs. In 2004, City CarShare changed the composition of its fleet by selling cars and moving toward the use of shared vehicles. This decision was consistent with the core carsharing concept: the value of the service lay in providing access to vehicles when needed, not in placing a privately assigned car with every customer. The operating model distinguished City CarShare from traditional long-term vehicle ownership and from conventional rental services that generally serve visitors or longer-duration trips. The organization later became involved in efforts to coordinate and professionalize the wider carsharing field. In 2011, City CarShare was one of 18 organizations that formed the North American CarSharing Association. It was described as one of the lead organizations in the new association, which reportedly had 100,000 members when it launched. This involvement gave City CarShare a role beyond its own fleet and membership base, connecting it with an industry-wide effort to represent carsharing organizations across North America. Also in 2011, City CarShare partnered with the City of San Francisco to provide on-street parking spaces reserved exclusively for City CarShare vehicles. The arrangement was significant because curbside access is a central operational requirement for shared-car services. Dedicated locations can improve vehicle visibility and availability for members, while public agencies can use parking policy to support shared mobility and potentially make more efficient use of limited urban space. City CarShare's independent operation ended in November 2016. The organization reached an agreement with Getaround, a for-profit carsharing company, under which Getaround assumed the City CarShare fleet, parking spaces, and member base. The takeover effectively ceased City CarShare's operations as a separate service. No current operating activity, independent executive team, or continuing ownership structure is established in the supplied reference material. City CarShare is consequently best understood as a defunct pioneer of organized carsharing in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- 2016
Getaround assumes the fleet and membership
[1]In November, Getaround takes over City CarShare's fleet, parking spaces, and member base, effectively ending the brand's independent operations.
- 2011
North American CarSharing Association founded
[1]City CarShare joins 17 other organizations in forming the North American CarSharing Association and serves as one of its lead organizations.
- 2011
Reserved San Francisco parking partnership
[1]City CarShare partners with San Francisco to provide on-street parking spaces reserved for its vehicles.
- 2004
Fleet model changes
[1]City CarShare sells cars from its fleet and moves toward using shared vehicles.
- 2002
Regional expansion
[1]The service expands to Oakland, Berkeley, and Palo Alto.
- 2001
City CarShare begins operating
[1]City CarShare starts a carsharing program in the San Francisco Bay Area, offering vehicles for hourly use.
Products and positioning
An early urban mobility service positioned around convenient, membership-based access to shared cars as an alternative or complement to private vehicle ownership.
Carsharing service · 2001
City CarShare hourly carsharing
City CarShare provided members with access to shared automobiles rented by the hour. The service was designed for short-duration urban trips and offered an alternative to owning a privately assigned vehicle. Cars were distributed across the San Francisco Bay Area, including San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, and Palo Alto. Its value proposition centered on access, convenience, and shared use rather than conventional long-term rental or individual ownership.
Mobility infrastructure and access · 2011
Reserved on-street carsharing locations
Through a 2011 partnership with San Francisco, City CarShare vehicles received access to on-street parking spaces reserved exclusively for the service. These locations supported the practical operation of the carsharing network by giving members designated places to find and return vehicles. The arrangement also represented cooperation between a private mobility operator and a municipal government on the use of curbside transportation infrastructure.
Brand decisions
2016
Transfer of operations to GetaroundM&ABackground
City CarShare reached an agreement with Getaround after operating as a regional carsharing service for approximately 15 years.
Action taken
Getaround took over City CarShare's fleet, parking spaces, and member base in November 2016.
Aftermath
City CarShare effectively ceased operations as an independent brand and became a historical predecessor within the Bay Area carsharing market.
2011
Partnership for reserved San Francisco parkingStrategyBackground
Reliable curbside locations were important to the operation and discoverability of a station-based carsharing service.
Action taken
City CarShare partnered with San Francisco to obtain on-street parking spaces reserved exclusively for its vehicles.
Aftermath
The partnership integrated City CarShare more closely with municipal transportation and parking policy.
2004
Shift toward shared vehiclesStrategyBackground
City CarShare revised its fleet approach several years after launch, when the service was developing its identity as a shared urban transportation provider.
Action taken
The organization sold cars from its fleet in favor of using shared vehicles.
Aftermath
The change reinforced the service's focus on shared access rather than individually assigned vehicle ownership.
Recent events
- 2016
Getaround takes over City CarShare operations[1]
M&A · Other
In November 2016, Getaround took over City CarShare's fleet, parking spaces, and member base, effectively ending City CarShare's independent operations.
- 2011
City CarShare helps establish the North American CarSharing Association[1]
Other
City CarShare was one of 18 organizations involved in forming the North American CarSharing Association and was identified as one of the association's lead organizations.
- 2011
San Francisco provides reserved on-street parking for City CarShare vehicles[1]
Other
City CarShare partnered with San Francisco to provide on-street parking spaces reserved exclusively for its shared vehicles.
Sources1 sources
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