Carshare

Carshare provides on-demand access to a vehicle for short-term use – usually by the hour, or day – at a cost that includes maintenance.

A woman enters a gray car parked on a spot marked as "Carshare Parking Only – Zipcar"

Carshare benefits the environment and residents by:

  • Improving local air quality
  • Reducing congestion
  • Lowering household transportation costs
  • Improving mobility options for New Yorkers

On this page:

How Carshare Works

NYC DOT’s Carshare program designates dedicated parking spaces for the use of eligible carshare organizations (CSOs). These parking spaces are located at curbside locations and in municipal parking facilities citywide.

Carshare members may reserve a vehicle, walk up to the car at their reservation time, and drive away, returning later to the same reserved spot.

Carshare Membership

Two companies currently participate in NYC’s Carshare program:

  • TRUQIT
  • Zipcar

New Yorkers must apply directly to a company for Carshare membership and provide information such as a driver license and form of payment.

All companies are required to provide a vehicle with professionally installed hand controls to any Carshare member within 48 hours of the request.

Each participating company will be offering various discounts and first-time driver credits including discounts for NYCHA residents and SNAP Program participants. Please visit each company's website for more information.

Map of Carshare Parking Spaces in NYC

Carshare Curbside Locations on NYC Open Data Carshare Locations in Municipal Garages and Lots on NYC Open Data

Map Disclaimer

Please note that the data and information on this website is for informational purposes only. While we seek to provide accurate information, please note that errors may be present and information presented may not be complete. Accordingly, the City of New York or the New York City Department of Transportation make no representation as to the accuracy of the information or its suitability for any purpose and disclaim any liability for omissions or errors that may be contained therein.

Curb Regulations

On-street Carshare spaces have signage to designate the parking spaces to a specific Carshare company. Carshare parking spaces are in pairs at the corners of residential, unmetered blocks.

The curb regulation OTHERS NO STANDING means that non-carshare vehicles may not stand at this location. Any vehicle other than the designated Carshare vehicle may not wait or stop to load or unload packages or merchandise at the curb, although a driver may stop to expeditiously drop off or pick up passengers.

Carshare Parking Only sign for TruqIt, Others No Standing AnytimeCarshare Parking Only sign for Zipcar vehicles, Others No Standing Anytime

Enforcement

If non-carshare vehicles are found in Carshare parking spaces, NYPD is authorized to ticket and tow illegally parked vehicles. Carshare companies are also authorized to relocate illegally parked vehicles to the nearest legal curbside space (at no charge to the car owner).

Street Cleaning

Alternate side parking regulations will not be applied to Carshare parking spaces. Carshare companies are required to clean and maintain the space to the same frequency of adjacent alternate side parking regulations.

How to Become a Carshare Organization

CSOs wishing to take part in the Carshare program must first register with NYC DOT to become a qualified operator.

Registration is open year-round.

To register, CSOs must provide the following information:

  1. Legal name of the CSO and its “Doing Business As” (DBA) certificate
  2. A certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation and proof of registration with the New York State Department of State
  3. Company address, contact name, contact telephone number, and contact e-mail address
  4. Information about the CSO’s New York City-specific operations, including the CSO’s total carshare vehicle fleet size in New York City, the number and location of private garages and carshare parking sites from which it currently operates, and the number of equity carshare parking sites; and
  5. Information about the CSO’s rates, including any geography or time-based differences.

Register to become a qualified operator via the Carshare Program Registration Webform

Registered CSOs will receive a link for a siting request platform from NYC DOT to use when applying for specific operational sites.

Webform submissions are strongly preferred. If online submission is not an option, please send a request to NYC DOT online.

The Carshare Program Package outlines program details, responsibilities of permit holders, data reporting requirements, and provides permit application forms for CSOs to complete, sign, and submit. Carshare Program Package - Updated materials will be provided before the next application period.

On-Street Curbside Sites

The Carshare program is open to both round trip and one-way carshare services. CSOs interested in dedicated curb space can request sites throughout New York City that meet the siting criteria below. CSOs seeking dedicated parking spaces must annually apply for permits for each new site and/or for renewal of existing sites. There is an annual site permit fee of $475 for new and existing sites.

CSOs using regular parking spaces for point-to-point trips do not need a permit. Vehicles using regular parking spaces must adhere to standard parking rules.

Municipal Parking Facility Sites

NYC DOT operates two types of facilities: parking fields, which are outdoor, unattended, metered lots; and parking garages. 10% or 10 spaces (whichever is less) of parking spaces in pre-selected NYC DOT municipal parking facilities will be available for the Carshare program. NYC DOT will assign spaces in pairs within each facility to eligible CSOs.

Existing municipal parking permit rates at each facility determine the annual fee for carshare parking spaces.

Pilot Program

Starting in 2018, NYC hosted a citywide pilot program, designating over 280 parking spaces for carshare vehicles. Parking spaces were in municipal parking lots and on streets in select neighborhoods.

Reports

NYC Carshare Pilot Report Roundtrip Carsharing in New York City: An Evaluation of a Pilot Program and System Impacts by Berkley Institute of Transportation Services NYC Carshare Pilot First Year Progress Report

Contact Us

Contact NYC DOT online with questions about the Carshare program.