Facing the facts is tough for automakers. It’s simply not possible for certain consumers to own a vehicle in a variety of territories across the globe. New York City is one of those target markets General Motors set in its sights to put more people behind the wheel of its vehicles, as the automaker rolls out its “Let’s Drive NYC” program.
“Customers want options on how to move from Point A to Point B that provide flexibility and personalization,” said GM President Dan Ammann. “Let’s Drive NYC is just one part of GM’s global urban mobility strategy. We view evolving consumer preferences, such as car-sharing, as real business opportunities, where we can quickly build on our existing capabilities such as OnStar connectivity to very effectively meet customer needs.”
The service is currently now available to residents of The Ritz Plaza, a 479-resident apartment complex in Times Square, managed by Stonehenge Partners.
Residents utilize a GM-developed app for a customer’s smartphone to gain access to parking and a vehicle in one of the 200 garages managed by Icon Parking Systems. Currently, eight Chevrolet Trax and two Chevrolet Equinox make up the fleet, with plans to add more vehicles as the program expands.
Residents use the program through electronic credits, valid for three hours of rental per month but, after those credits are used up, users pay less than $10 an hour, or up to $75 to reserve a vehicle 24-hours in advance.
What really makes ‘Let’s Drive NYC” stand out, according to GM, is the availability of the host of OnStar features in each vehicle. Users have access to OnStar and its services at the push of a button, included in their rental period.
During a trial period of the service, users logged more than 20,000 miles through New York, New Jersey and Connecticut areas.
It only seems we can expect this program to grow in the near future to other areas of the city.
No Comments yet