CEO Update – July 2022
Happy birthday Modo!
We are delighted to celebrate our co-op’s 25th anniversary this year. The small group of 16 people that formed the co-op in Vancouver and began sharing two cars back in 1997 has grown steadily over the years to today’s more than 26,000 members in 25 municipalities sharing a diverse fleet of nearly 800 vehicles. Along the way, we were very pleased to have the members of car share co-ops in Victoria, Nanaimo, and Kelowna merge into what has become the Modo we know today. I trust you are as proud as I am of the difference Modo has made over the past quarter-century for individuals, families and the many communities where we are active. Definitely reason to celebrate.
While much has changed in the world over the years, our Purpose has remained a constant and the unrelenting focus of our business. I am happy to report that after the COVID-induced slow down of 2020/21, our return to growth has continued to gain momentum. Today we are experiencing strong increases in membership and demand for vehicles.
Most will be aware that demand for our cars peaks during the summer season when we collectively are more inclined to get out and explore our amazing province. This year, the summer ramp-up has started early and with gusto. While we continue to regularly add cars to the fleet, supply chain challenges in the automotive sector have caused some delays in deliveries and we anticipate demand running ahead of supply during the summer months. If you have summer travel plans that include Modo, think about booking sooner rather than later.
We are making slow but steady progress on the path to a zero-emission fleet by 2030 and are working hard to accelerate the transition. For some inexplicable reason, governments at provincial and federal levels continue to refuse to recognize the nature of the shared ownership represented by our co-op, preferring to think of us as a car rental business and not thousands of local people co-owning and sharing hundreds of cars. That means that we pay up to $8,000 more for an electric vehicle than other residents of BC. I find this illogical and inequitable. If you agree, please do consider writing your MLA and MP and let them know.
Twenty-five years ago, our co-op’s founders set us on a path to transforming communities by connecting people with places in a way that’s affordable, convenient, inclusive, and sustainable. The need has never been greater.
