AAA To Offer New Ride Sharing in Berkeley, Oakland

OAKLAND, CA — Officials with AAA announced Monday a new car-sharing service in Oakland and Berkeley that will launch at the end of the month. Gig Car Share is a one-way car-sharing service that allows people to find a car nearby and get in and go. Cars will be available April 30. Drivers can pick up a car in one place and drop it off in another, within a zone, called a HomeZone.

The HomeZone includes large parts of Berkeley and Oakland. Drivers can see the zone's boundaries on the Gig app, which is available for both Apple and Android operating systems.

The HomeZone includes a portion of the Oakland International Airport Park 'N Fly lot, AAA officials said.

Drivers can park for free and drop off the car in almost any metered public or residential parking spot in the HomeZone.

The parking spots must have a time limit of two hours or more, AAA officials said.

The cost is a minimum of $2.50. Drivers can pay by the mile, hour or day. The cost per mile is $2.50. The cost per hour is $15 and the cost per day is $85.

The standard price of the service includes gas, insurance, parking and up to 250 miles per trip, subject to some restrictions.

Gig members who are AAA members receive a 10 percent discount. The standard Gig vehicle is a Toyota Prius c with a roof-mounted bike rack. Drivers who download the app and enroll by April 30 using the code HEYGIG will receive an $85 credit. The launch of Gig will be held April 30 at an event called a Sunday Funday at the amphitheatre at Lake Merritt in Oakland.

The event will start at 11 a.m. and last until 4 p.m., AAA officials said.Gig is only available in Oakland and Berkeley but AAA officials may expand the service to other cities.

— Bay City News; Image via AAA