NEWS

Coffee Break

The Oregonian
September 23, 2008
By Jonathan Brinckman

Scott, director of the Oregon Economic and Community Development Department from 1993 to 2002, became general manager of Flexcar's Portland operation in August 2002. Flexcar merged with Zipcar in November 2007, and Scott remained the Portland general manager. The operation was rebranded Zipcar in February.

The company operates a car-sharing network. Members pay $50 a year, then can reserve and use cars that are parked throughout the city for an average of $9.50 an hour.

The city of Portland created a "peak oil task force" in July 2006 and asked Scott to chair it. The task force delivered its report in April 2007 concluding, among other things, that rising oil prices are inevitable. The sooner Portland residents adjust to doing things in ways that are less dependent on oil, the task force said, the less disruptive inevitable changes will be.

We asked Scott about changes he has seen in Portland that were brought by rising gas.

Background: The average price of a gallon of unleaded gas in Oregon rose from $2.94 in April 2007 (when the peak oil task force finished its report) to a high of $4.20 in July 2008 to $3.65 on Monday.

Did you foresee the speed of gas price increases? "We were all surprised that it went that far, that fast."

Background: Since taking the job with Flexcar (now Zipcar), Scott has commuted by bike, public transit or foot from his home in Northeast Portland to his downtown Portland office.

Has your commute changed? "As a transit rider and cyclist myself, there are a lot more of us than there were last year. It used to be a pretty lonely (bike) ride. Not any more."

Background: Zipcar doesn't disclose membership numbers, but the number of cars the company has in Portland is up from 140 at the beginning of 2007 to 220 now. Scott said that membership growth rate is up sharply from last year. He said 40 percent of new members -- three times the percentage of last year -- say the price of fuel was a factor in their decision to join the car-sharing company.

How have rising fuel prices affected Zipcar membership? "People are rethinking car ownership in a way we have never seen before. People who would never have thought of not owning a car are now calling us."