THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, February 28, 2020 Page 3 City makes a SNAP decision By Barbara Taormina M alden is opening the door to car-sharing services that offer residents an option to rent vehicles for short trips in and around the city. The City Council voted this week to expand the ordinance that regulates livery vehicles and taxis to include Shared Neighborhood Autos for Passengers (SNAPs). Drivers can reserve cars through an app on their phones, pick them up at nearby parking spots on the street, drive to and from their destinations and return cars when they’ve done. Rental charges are typically based on the amount of time the vehicle is used and the distance travelled. “Shared vehicles are becoming an increasingly popular way for folks to avoid the expense and hassle of owning a car in a place like Malden,” said Councillor-at-Large Stephen Winslow, who developed the SNAP regulations. “They allow people to live without a car but to have access to one when they need it.” Winslow said SNAP services are a particularly good fit for Malden, where 40 percent of the population depends on trains and buses for transportation. And SNAPs have the potential to reduce the number of privately owned cars in Malden, which will ease both the competition for parking spaces and the heavy traffic that crawls across the city during peak morning and evening hours. SNAP services seem to operate according to different models. Some services own a fleet of vehicles that are available for rent similar to Lime’s bicycle and scooter rental business. Other services offer peer-to-peer transactions, much like Airbnb, which connects homeowners having spare rooms and travelers looking for affordable accommodations. The car-sharing services provide liability insurance and a spot on their app for owners to list their vehicles for rent in exchange for a 25 to 30 percent cut of the rental fee. Winslow began crafting the SNAP regulations after Bonzer, a Boston-based car-sharing service with a fleet of mini-electric vehicles, proposed a pilot program for Malden. Winslow wanted to bring electric cars to the city with a service that would install charging stations in different neighborhoods. But Parking Department Director Ron Hogan told Winslow and other members of the Ordinance Committee that there are about 20 pick-up-and-go vehicles already operating under the radar in Malden, and most, probably, are not electric. The regulations were expanded to include all vehicles with a $1,500 licensing fee for gasoline-powered cars and a $500 fee for electric cars coupled with an obligation to create a charging station. The regulations cap the number of available SNAP licenses to 30 vehicles, which must all be registered in Malden and subject to local excise taxes. Ordinance Committee members plan to work with ward councillors and the Traffic Commission to find accessible parking spots for SNAP vehicles, which Winslow said would be like taxi stands where renters can pick up and drop off vehicles. “I think this is a great idea,” said Ward 7 Councillor Neal Anderson, who suggested that SNAP services may encourage people not to buy private vehicles. “We don’t need everyone to have an automobile,” he said. Councillor-at-Large Debbie DeMaria appreciated the new revenue SNAP services would bring into the city through licensing fees and excise taxes. Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley, who helped hammer out the SNAP regulations, touted the environmental benefits of car sharing and the protections the city will gain with the new ordinance. “To sum it up, this ordinance helps regulate something that already exists on our street and is operating without rules,” he said. 781-321-7700 DISCOUNT FURNITURE COMPLETE LINE OF QUALITY FURNITURE AT LOW PRICES *BEDROOM SETS *DINING ROOM SETS *KITCHEN SETS ASHLEY SOFA *SOFA / LOVE SEATS *TABLES & CHAIRS *COMPUTER DESKS $399.00 ASHLEY BEDROOM SETS 895.95 $ LAYAWAY PLANS AVAILABLE 42 Willow St., Malden, Ma. For Advertising with Results, call The Advocate Newspapers at 617-387-2200 or Info@advocatenews.net STARTING AT
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