Carshare pilot could hinge on finding a $192,000-a-year business model

A proposed carshare pilot is projected to cost $192,000 in its first year, and county staff say the next step is figuring out a business model that can actually sustain that kind of operating spend. In a strategic partnerships application tied to Thursday’s Jackson Hole Travel and Tourism Board agenda, the county says the feasibility study “will be successful if we identify an appropriate business model and partnerships to pilot the program” and notes the option of leasing vehicles instead of buying them. Carshare feasibility study application

For workforce housing, this is the kind of detail that matters. If a carshare program is going to be pitched as a way for workers to live car-lite in deed-restricted units, it has to come with a realistic plan for who pays ongoing operating costs, who carries insurance and maintenance risk, and how service is targeted to worker-heavy neighborhoods instead of visitors. The Travel and Tourism Board’s discussion will be a first read on whether lodging-tax dollars are likely to support the business model work needed before any pilot launch.