This $5-an-Hour CarShare Is Changing How Grand Rapids Gets Around

I’ll admit, when I first heard about Grand Rapids’ electric vehicle rideshare program, I wasn’t sure what to think.

I wasn’t the only one, either. Plenty of people in the comments originally worried that the cars would be mistreated, stolen, or just sit unused. But now, one year later, the city’s DART EV CarShare program is proving that sometimes those “crazy ideas” are exactly what we need as a community.

Launched in October 2024 by the city’s Mobile GR Department, the DART GR, which stands for Drive ARound Town Grand Rapids, was created to give people affordable, eco-friendly access to transportation.

Over the past year, more than 200 users have logged a combined 23,000 hours behind the wheel, traveling an impressive 143,000 miles across the city.

It’s a really great option if catching the bus or a rideshare doesn’t work for your schedule. For just $5 an hour, residents 21 and older can rent an electric vehicle with a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record, and a debit, credit, or prepaid card.

The cars are conveniently parked in city-owned lots all across town, from downtown to Eastown, making it easier than ever for people to get where they need to go without owning a car.

The program started with just a handful of cars, but it’s already grown to nine EVs and city officials plan to add three more by 2027. That’s huge for a city that’s been working hard to make sustainable, shared transportation more accessible for everyone.

So, while some people doubted the idea at first, the DART EV CarShare program is quietly making Grand Rapids a greener, more connected city: one ride at a time. For more information or to try the program yourself, visit grandrapidsmi.gov/mobilegr or call 311.