Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport may soon expand testing to see whether the flourishing car-sharing economy works for travelers and employees alike.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which operates the airport, is expected to consider an 18-month pilot program using three car-sharing companies — Car2Go, Zipcar and Hourcar. Mostly used by auto-averse millennials and urbanites, car-sharing involves drivers booking vehicles on demand via the Internet or a smartphone app, usually for short periods of time.
If approved by MAC commissioners in November, the expanded car-sharing service at the airport could begin by the end of the year.
"I'm excited to see if it works," said MAC Chair Dan Boivin. "Nowadays, not everybody owns cars, young millennials are more committed to public transportation and Car2Go scenarios. We need to figure out what makes sense economically."
If adopted, the airport would have a variety of transportation options for the 33 million passengers it serves annually — ranging from Blue Line light rail to taxis and limousines to those who drive there and park. In recent years, parking at the airport has become increasingly tight.
The pilot program would be different from often-controversial ride-sharing services UberX and Lyft, where passengers book rides from drivers who use their private cars for commercial use. Currently, UberX and Lyft do not have holding areas at the airport, like taxis do.
The use of car alternatives appears to be growing nationally. A recent survey by the consulting firm PwC indicates that 44 percent of U.S. consumers are aware of the "sharing economy," which also includes the hospitality (such as Airbnb) and retail businesses, among others. Of those consumers, 8 percent actively engage in the "mobility industry," which can involve sharing a car, or bicycles such as Nice Ride-type programs.
'I'm being open minded'
The pilot program will help the MAC determine whether there's demand for car-sharing and, if so, how to make it work.