Livestrong is Daimler's second partner in Austin's Car2go car-sharing service

Daimler's Car2go car-sharing program in Austin, TX just got its second beta partner. The City of Austin was the first group to work with Daimler in the city in a partnership that gives the city's 13,000 employees access to any of the 200 Fortwo mhd (micro-hybrid) models parked around town. Now, employees of Lance Armstrong's cancer support group Livestrong, based in Austin, can also share the little Smarts. Sadly, flashing a yellow wristband won't get just anyone access to the cars. Not yet, anyway.

Daimler has a simlar Car2go service running in Ulm, Germany. Smart USA has not yet announced the addition of all-electric Smart Eds into the Car2go program, but we hope that's coming soon. Car2go vehicles can be accessed on-demand and returned, without the driver committing to a specific time, by parking at any available public parking space in the greater downtown Austin area or at a marked Car2go space. Lance, we're guessing, won't need to use the service because he rides his bike everywhere, right?
Photos by Sebastian Blanco / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Daimler]

PRESS RELEASE

car2go gains momentum with addition of LIVESTRONG® as new beta partner

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb 25, 2010

car2go today announced the addition of LIVESTRONG as a new beta partner. Through the partnership, LIVESTRONG employees are able to register for and have access to car2go's fleet of 200 smart fortwo vehicles.

"LIVESTRONG employees are excited to be part of car2go's efforts to drastically change transportation in Austin," said Mona Patel, LIVESTRONG Executive Vice President. "LIVESTRONG is committed to bettering our community and we hope our participation will encourage others to embrace car2go."

Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong and based in Austin, Texas, LIVESTRONG fights for the 28 million people around the world living with cancer today. LIVESTRONG connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. Known for the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG's mission is to inspire and empower anyone affected by cancer.

In February 2009, LIVESTRONG moved into its first permanent home at 2201 East Sixth Street in East Austin, a diverse neighborhood undergoing a revitalization. The LIVESTRONG headquarters received a gold rating from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for its environmental sustainability, along with four stars by the Austin Energy Green Building Program. In addition to working in a green building, LIVESTRONG encourages its employees to practice green living by offering incentives to carpool, use public transit and utilize Austin Energy's green power options to minimize environmental impact.

"LIVESTRONG's dedication to sustainability and community improvement makes them a perfect partner for car2go," said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go N.A., LLC. "car2go is looking forward to working with LIVESTRONG in improving the quality of life for Austin residents with our progressive solution to urban mobility."

LIVESTRONG is car2go's second pilot group to be included in the pilot program. Daimler launched its groundbreaking car2go pilot project in North America this past November. The City of Austin was the first North American city to partner with car2go. The partnership allows more than 13,000 city employees access to 200 car2go vehicles not only for business but also for personal use. Unlike other car sharing programs, car2go vehicles can be accessed "on-demand," and the members may use the vehicle for as long as they like, without committing to a specific return time. The driver can finish the rental in any available public parking space within the greater downtown Austin area or at one of the specially marked car2go spaces.