City’s newest mobility solution may be the perfect alternative to business fleet
Early August saw the official launch of Hamilton’s newest tech enterprise and it’s already achieved a dedicated following amongst the city’s businesses.
“Loop”, a car share business owned by the Ebbett Waikato Group, has now officially launched after being in beta phase since May with a select group of businesses, refining its technology platform and building its fleet.
The service, which allows users to reserve, access, drive and pay for publicly available vehicles, all through an app on their phone, has been hailed as a potential fleet solution for businesses of all size.
The current fleet of 15 vehicles (all brand new with 5 star safety rating) will grow to 25 before the end of the year. Most are parked in the CBD, making it a great alternative for those who face parking restrictions or who find the cost and management of fleet cars a bit of a burden.
Each vehicle is available to both business and public users, a point that Loop believes is a key benefit of their service. Loop General Manager Jamie Russell said: “A shared fleet means higher vehicle utilisation and lower administrative costs. By making more use of each vehicle we can spread the benefits of lower rates for all. If you’re currently paying 76 cents per kilometre for staff to use their own car for business travel then our rate of $15 per hour including fuel looks really competitive.”
Loop have signed a project agreement with Hamilton City Council to provide a carsharing service in the city for the next three years, and Council Chief Executive Richard Briggs said: “It’s really exciting to support the delivery of another mobility solution for our businesses and the wider Hamilton public. To be able to do this in partnership with a Waikato-based company that is immersed in our community really ticks all our boxes. Loop is a simple solution to a common problem and it’s one that can contribute to easing congestion and improving sustainability, so we’re absolutely delighted it’s here.”
More information on Loop can be found at www.loopcarshare.com.
Car Share – Your Questions Answered
Common vehicles that we can all use sounds great but what’s in the detail?
Question 1: What is Loop car share?
Answer: “Loop vehicles are parked on the street and you can reserve them, unlock them, drive them and pay for them simply through an app on your phone.”
Question 2: How do I sign up?
Answer: Download the “Loop carshare” app, click “Register” and follow the instructions. You’ll need a full NZ driver’s licence and a credit card. Registrations are approved within one business day and you only need to sign up once.”
Question 3: Is it free to join?
Answer: “Registration costs $20 but that is fully refunded in free usage. If you have a lot of potential users in your business, contact Loop directly for a free sign-up session.”
Question 4: What are the insurance details?
Answer: “Every Loop member, regardless of age, is fully insured with only $1000 excess.”
Question 5: What about fuel?
Answer: “There is a fuel card in the car, if fuel drops below quarter full just top up at a Z station and use the fuel card to pay.”
Question 6: How much does it cost?
Answer: Loop cars are 25 cents per minute and fuel is included (Note: Lime scooters are 38 cents per minute!). There is a $5 minimum charge per journey.
Question 7: Where are the cars parked?
Answer: “The interactive map in the app shows you where all the cars are positioned – there’s 15 in the CBD so there should be one close by.”
Question 8: How long can I have a Loop car for?
Answer: “As long as you like. Fees are capped at $75 per day (includes 150km, 30c per km after that) and there are special rates for overnight usage.”
Question 9: Where can I find out more details?
Answer: “You can visit www.loopcarshare.com or email them at hello@loopcarshare.com”
