g'day modo

We're not ones to brag but sometimes we just have to. Our Business Development Director, Tanya Paz, has been invited to work in Sydney, Australia for three months from October to December 2011 with GoGet, their local carsharing organization (CSO).

Tanya has worked for Modo since 1999 and is considered among the top ten carsharing gurus in the world. By sharing her expertise through consulting and speaking engagements, Tanya has helped carsharing start up and grow on five continents. With GoGet, she’ll be working with a variety of stakeholders in public and private sectors to make carsharing attractive for municipalities and developers – much like the work she does here! She’ll also get first-hand experience working with a larger CSO than Modo: GoGet has about 500 cars in four cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide. This will be valuable insight for Modo.

While Tanya is away, she’ll be sharing some of her experiences with us online. Stay tuned for an update in our next newsletter.

upcoming events

August 27: An intimate evening with Sook-Yin Lee

Modo members LARK host a rare treat: an intimate evening with one of Vancouver’s treasured local talents, Sook-Yin Lee. Tickets are $15 and all proceeds will be donated to Inspire Health, a ground-breaking integrated cancer treatment centre that is part of our BC Medical Services. Sook-Yin will perform a set of music and screen her new movie, Year of the Carnivore. Learn more here. At LARK on 2315 Main Street, from 8pm to 11pm.

September 17: Greenpeace 40th anniversary celebration

40 years ago (on September 15) Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver. The Vancouver office of Greenpeace is a long time Modo member and we’re very proud to provide carsharing for the Rainbow Warrior Festival. This free, family-friendly event will feature an Action Zone, a Kids Zone, a Campaign Zone, and a Main Stage for music and speakers. Stay up-to-date through the event’s Facebook page. At Jericho Beach from 11am to 6pm.

If you have loved ones near any of these events tell them to come by our Modo booth to learn about our co-op values and incentives to join. And feel free to stop by yourself and say hi:

September 6 through 9: AMS First Week on the Plaza at UBC

On the southwest side of the Student Union Building, First Week on the Plaza will welcome students by showing off all there is to offer at UBC including Modo carsharing!  On the plaza from 10am to 4pm.

September 17: Autumn SHIFT Festival on Main Street

The Main Street Business Improvement Association hosts the second annual Autumn SHIFT Festival, closing off car traffic on Main Street between Broadway and 12th Avenue. Modo has many cars and members in this vibrant Mount Pleasant area. From noon to 6pm.

September 20: SFU Sustainability Festival on Burnaby Mountain

SFU's Sustainability Festival is about engaging the community around reducing our footprint on the earth. There will be live music, local food to sample, a popular eco-fashion show, and a wealth of information from local organizations providing environmental solutions. On the Convocation Mall from 11am to 4pm.

modo moves

Vancouver – False Creek + Kitsilano

NEW LOCATION + ADDITIONAL VEHICLE at Athletes' Village, a 2011 blue Mazda 2 hatchback and a 2011 orange Dodge Grand Caravan.

VEHICLE UPGRADE at W 2nd + Cypress, a 2011 green Mazda 2 hatchback.

Vancouver – Commercial Drive

CHANGE IN VEHICLE + LOCATION NAME: Dias Coffee is now Café Gloria, where a 2004 light blue Honda Civic hybrid sedan with a bike rack now resides.

VEHICLE CHANGE at Paloma, a 2003 silver Volkswagen Golf hatchback.

Burnaby

NEW LOCATION at Bby – Brentwood SkyTrain, a 2010 red Dodge Grand Caravan minivan.

Looking for more locations? Go to www.modo.coop/find.

get the best insurance coverage

Did you know you can pay your monthly Modo bill using a credit card with Collision Loss Damage Insurance (CLDI)? If you're ever in an accident using a Modo vehicle, CLDI would mean that any damage is covered by the credit card company.

Although Modo has the best insurance coverage of any carshare in Metro Vancouver, you can save a lot of money by using a credit card with CLDI. And Modo would save money, too. (It’s a win-win.) To apply, simply click on this form: fill it out and scan and email it back to info(at)modo.coop or fax it to 604.685.1353.

dollies in modo vehicles

This month you may have noticed a small moving cart on wheels, or a dolly, in a Modo vehicle. These dollies, if collapsible, are authorized to be left in certain vehicles.

If you come across one of them, feel free to use it if you need it. You can also remove it before your trip and store it in a safe place but only if you return it to the vehicle when you're done. No other items should be left in Modo vehicles.

the modo mix

We love telling people that we have the most diverse fleet of any carshare we know of. Diversity in the fleet means chances are we have a vehicle that will meet your transportation needs. We have about 250 cars now, and here’s how they break down (drum roll, please!):

convertibles: 1

cargo vans: 2

trucks: 9

2-door hatchbacks: 9

sports wagons: 10

minivans: 42

4-door sedans: 80

4-door hatchbacks: 91