Do you need a car sometimes, but not often enough to justify buying one? Do you already have one car, but now and again need a second one? Or do you use public transport but need to go somewhere beyond the bus routes? The DDCA has a community car that you can rent!
Having access to a car is essential for most people living in rural Scotland. Many of us live in areas where public transport is simply not available. Cars give us freedom in terms of being able to travel whenever you want as well as transporting bulkier items not easy to carry. That said, owning a car is not cheap. Costs include not only fuel but also purchasing the vehicle, insurance, MOT and servicing. That’s where different types of car sharing come in useful. Shared transport can take the form of formal car clubs with memberships. These are becoming more popular, especially in larger towns and cities. Shared transport can also be peer-to-peer models, where several households share one car. Given that research has found the average car in the UK to be parked up 23 hours per day, car sharing can decrease costs while maximising potential use of our resources.
The DDCA purchased an electric car in February 2021 and we worked with The Moray Council to secure Dufftown’s first electric car charger in the Mortlach Memorial Hall Carpark. Acknowledging the need for sustainable and flexible transport options in Dufftown and District, we have explored different possibilities to make the car available for the community to use. First, we looked at setting up a more formal car club. But we quickly found barriers in terms of getting insurance. Instead, we found a peer-to-peer solution. The DDCA car can now be rented on a car sharing app called Hiyacar. Anyone can register, book the car and collect it from the Memorial Hall car park. 
We are still figuring out the best ways to run the community car scheme, and need your help to test it out. Please get in touch if you want to pilot the scheme. We can set up a time convenient for you and go through the booking system and car details with you.
Thanks to CoMoUK and tsiMoray for supporting our car sharing club with funding.
