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Car sharing in Bondi: a car owner’s story

Read about the many ups and occasional dilemmas of renting your car out to your neighbours.

Shannon Barker

Katie McMurray owns a great little Yaris in Bondi. So why did she find herself on a dark, rainy night, trying to start an unfamiliar Alpha Romeo? Read about the many ups and occasional dilemmas of renting your car out to your neighbours.

Katie McMurray from Bondi joined car Next Door early in 2014. Katie’s car is #80, a zippy little Yaris.

Katie says that when she heard about Uber Carshare from Will at the Bondi Organic Markets, she just felt a big “yes”. Not only is an opportunity to offset the cost of owning a car, it's a great way to help her local community.

“Even before I knew about the financial structure, I was saying “yes” to myself. I always look out for ways to contribute locally here in Bondi and this is a great idea.”

Katie runs her business, KatieMac Publicity, from home and spends most of her weekends in and around Bondi. This means she doesn’t have far to get anywhere she wants to go if her car is booked out.

“I will now walk to Bronte Beach from home in Bondi, which takes around thirty minutes. That’s something I would never have done before.”

Katie says the plusses of her Yaris are:

  • the Beach Parking Permit for free parking at Bondi and Bronte Beaches; and
  • that it is a cinch to park. “It can get into the smallest parking spots, because it’s compact and the steering is so powerful.”

What does a car owner do when her car is booked out?

For times her car has been booked and she needs to drive somewhere, Katie’s discovered the other local cars. Her two favourites have been #117 George’s Alpha Romeo in Ocean St and #9 Lance’s Suzuki in Imperial Avenue.

“I’ve had fun driving all kinds of cars now. The trickiest time was getting in George’s car in the dark and pouring rain one night. Then I couldn’t start it. Will was helpful on the other end of the phone and suggested having my foot on the brake.”

As we say at Uber Carshare, every car is different!

What happens when things go wrong?

Katie loves the Uber Carshare member service and says the support during sign-on kept her in the game.

“Megan was consistent, helpful and professional as I got to each stage through the sign-on.”

Katie says that she’s had great support from Megan, Ani, Dave and Will from the friendly and helpful member experience team.

“I’ve had a flat battery in Manly, the rainy night with the Alpha and a few more moments as an owner where I’ve needed help and the support has been great.”

Katie’s business specialises in developing reputation and public profile for businesses. She says Uber Carshare deserve a great reputation and is impressed with our work in getting the word out about this new approach to personal transport.

“Having said that, it was a simple market stall that got me involved. Not a fancy promotion or expensive ad,” she says.


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