Carsharing is an exciting new alternative transportation mode that is gaining popularity throughout the United States. Carsharing is becoming increasingly popular because it ties directly into the transit system by providing an alternative to car ownership for trips that cannot be made easily using mass transit. Few attempts have yet been made to introduce carsharing in smaller cities; however, as carsharing continues to grow in popularity, more small cities will undoubtedly be interested in its implementation. Small cities are defined in this paper as cities with populations between 50,000 and 150,000, with a well-defined central business district and a sizeable employment base. These cities present unique situations for carsharing due to their limited transit networks, lower population densities, and varied demographics. This paper analyzes US carsharing organizations, with a focus on small city programs, and provides both the basis for an implementation framework and steps for program analysis. Various studies have been conducted on carsharing in the United States, but only a few have tried to quantify the relationship between characteristics of a city, in terms of form and function, and the size and scope of a carsharing program. Census data will be analyzed in a regression analysis in an attempt to determine relationships between the membership size of a carsharing program and the demographic, social, and economic characteristics of a city. Small city local governments, grassroots efforts, and transit agencies can use these analyses and recommendations to help guide their own implementation efforts.
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