Carshare Loss Hits Twin Cities Families

Minneapolis resident Christopher R. Vaughan and his family have operated without a private vehicle for nearly five years. They rely on a mix of biking, walking, and public transit to manage their daily lives in the city.

The shift began in June 2021 when a multi-car crash outside Chicago totaled their Toyota Corolla. Vaughan stood on a hot breakdown lane, sweeping shattered glass from the seats of his then 2-year-old twins. The family decided the cost of replacing the car was too high. They chose to live car-free instead.

For Vaughan, a writer, and his wife, a nurse at Hennepin County Medical Center, the HourCar service and its Evie Carshare program became essential. His wife used the cars to commute from their Lyndale home to Metro State University in St. Paul for clinical placements. The family used the service to reach a specialist in Burnsville for their son's medical needs. It also allowed them to leave late basketball games at Williams Arena without relying on expensive ride-hailing apps.

The family maintained this routine until just weeks before the shutdown. They recently took a camping trip to Southern Minnesota using an HourCar. They hiked in two state parks and watched fall colors change during the drive home. Four days after returning, Vaughan learned the company would cease operations.

The closure reduces the transportation options available to Vaughan and the thousands of other Twin Cities residents who use the service. He notes that some trips will require costly Lyft rides, while others may become difficult to manage. This limits time for work and family activities. The loss of access affects how residents engage with the region.

Vaughan asks state and local leaders to find funding solutions to restore the service. He acknowledges that legal and financial hurdles exist. He believes partner organizations must act to bring carshare back to Minnesota. Families who depend on this mode of transport are waiting for a decision.