Communauto announced to its members on Monday a second increase in its rates this year. At the current cost of trips, can we still consider this option cheaper than other similar services? Let’s get out the calculator.
Communauto’s new rate schedule will come into effect on October 16, and mainly includes hourly rate increases ranging from 3.9% to 6.3%, depending on the package chosen.
This is the second increase since the start of 2024, the first having come into effect on May 15.
Typically, Communauto users expect only one increase per year. Vice-President of Business Development Marco Viviani acknowledges that this is an exceptional situation, which he attributes to the increase in operating costs.
“We add [au parc de véhicules] “Much bigger cars, because that’s all there is available. These cars cost more to repair,” he explains, also giving the rising cost of insurance and maintenance as examples.
Communauto is a well-established car-sharing company in Greater Montreal, which also has a smaller fleet of cars elsewhere in the province, notably in Quebec City and Sherbrooke. The vehicles are generally distributed throughout the cities, thanks to parking agreements with municipalities or businesses, and members can rent the cars occasionally or on a recurring basis.
Comparison
It’s hard to compare Communauto with other subscription-based car-sharing services; there are no others of similar scale in Quebec. We can still see how the company is positioned in the market by comparing the prices of various players for three travel scenarios.
Let’s keep in mind that price is only one factor that guides the choice. Even when Communauto is the least expensive option, it also has its drawbacks: you have to go through the process of becoming a member, live in a well-served area, find an available vehicle and go pick it up, among other things.
In the following calculations, we use Communauto’s “Freedom” package, since it is the only one that does not require any membership fees, which allows for a fairer comparison with other services. Gasoline is included in Communauto’s rates, but for the rest of the calculations, we used a price of $1.50 per litre, observable at several Montreal gas stations in September 2024, and an average gasoline consumption of 8.8 L/100 km.
Scenario 1: Spend a weekend in nature
Let’s take the example of a Montreal family who wants to go fall camping at Mont-Tremblant National Park by renting a car from Friday, October 18 to Sunday, October 20. It’s about 280 km for the round trip.
- In Communauto, the getaway will cost $215.30, plus $1.65 for insurance (unless you choose an annual insurance package), for a total of $216.65.
- On the peer-to-peer car-sharing platform Turo, we found several vehicles to rent for around $150. Adding $40 for gas and insurance ranging from $35 to $110, depending on the level of coverage you want, brings the total to between $225 and $300.
- For a base model car on one of the major rental platforms, you can expect to pay between $255 and $433, depending on the company and the insurance coverage you choose. Add $40 for gas and you’re looking at a price range of $295 to $443.
According to our observations, for multi-day trips, from a strictly financial point of view, it may be worth comparing Communauto and the offer on Turo. Since users of this platform rent their vehicle at the price of their choice, there may be some at prices similar to those of Communauto.
When it comes to standard rental platforms, The Press looked at prices on Enterprise, Avis and Hertz and found that they were consistently higher. Also, most locations are closed on weekends, which would force the customer to keep the car an extra day or return it to the airport.
Scenario 2: A three-hour rental for shopping
Now let’s take the example of a couple who want to rent a car for three hours on Sunday, October 20, for the purpose of doing some shopping in town.
- In Communauto, it will cost $39.75, plus $1.65 for insurance (unless you choose an annual insurance package), for a total of $41.40.
- There are no hourly rates on Turo. We found several cars for around $50 for that date, plus $11 to $17 for insurance and a few dollars for gas, depending on the distance. All in all, you could expect to end up with a bill of $65 to $70.
- Standard rental platforms also don’t offer hourly rates. For a basic car model from one of the major rental companies, you can expect to pay between $76 and $148, depending on the company and the insurance coverage you choose. Add a little gas and you can expect to pay between $80 and $155.
For a three-hour trip, Communauto remains the most economical option, unless you come across a user who lists their car at an extremely low price on Turo. However, if the purchases include large items, such as furniture, it may be worth taking a look at Turo, since you can rent different models of vehicles, such as vans.
Scenario 3: a trip of a few kilometers in town
What if we simply want to get from point A to point B, 9 km or 20 minutes in heavy traffic, because we are late for an appointment?
- In Communauto, it will cost $8.20, plus $1.65 for insurance (unless you choose an annual insurance package), for a total of $9.85.
- By taxi it will cost $22.55 (plus tip).
The 41 cents per minute rate for a FLEX vehicle is by far the most economical option for short car trips.