We're not trying to be secretive--a lot of things haven't been decided just yet. If effort to answer your questions, here's a new list of frequently asked questions. If you have a question which isn't answered here, please email us.

Thanks to everyone who made it out to our first meeting! I hope all of your questions were answered. If you were not there, please take a minute to fill out our online survey.

Thanks again to KMTR and KEZI for their thorough coverage. We'll host another meeting in a month or two, when there's more to tell you.

The executive director of the Ithaca Car Share, Jennifer Dotson, met with us while she was in town to visit family. It's wonderful to hear how quickly a nonprofit car share can flourish--ten cars in their first year! They did have help, though. Jennifer says, "We got over $175,000 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, and prepayments over $50,000 from two local institutions of higher education."

Although we suspect that such fantastic start-up funds are not available here, Lane Car Share is able to benefit from the expertise of successful car shares around North America. Jennifer Dotson has already offered valuable advice to Lane Car Share in several key areas. An informal network of other car sharing organizations provides further support as we develop.

An impressive number of Springfield residents have expressed interest in joining a local not-for-profit car share. To better serve the needs of the region, we're switching from "Eugene Car Share" to "Lane Car Share" (for those outside the area, that's the name of our county). Although vehicles will likely be placed in Eugene first, it's easier to change names before we get too far along the path to an operational car share.

Before we even begin offering services, we're building a relationship of mutual support with the Ashland Car Share. Launched in March 2009, they're one of dozens of new car shares around North America. We'll share strategies for bringing affordable car sharing to our communities and together discover what works---they've already suggested an insurance agency which specializes in car share fleets. Once we get rolling, we hope to form a reciprocal use partnership to allow members of the Lane Car Share to use vehicles in the Ashland Car Share, and vice versa.

We're working with the wonderful folks at the Northwest Cooperative Development Center to take the first steps to creating a co-op. The Northwest Cooperative Development Center has offered to help consult and put us in contact with an attorney who specializes in co-op law. Through a series of public meetings we hope to agree on articles of incorporation and create a business plan---stay tuned for meeting details.

We'll attend a conference featuring at least 21 car sharing organizations from all over the US and Canada October 28-30 in Vancouver BC. Sessions will address:

• challenges of starting a new car share
• fleet management technology
• insurance and accident reduction
• working with developers and local government
• carbon savings quantification
• hybrid and electric vehicles
• car sharing and bicycling
• the future of the industry

We'll tour locations where car share vehicles are collocated with light rail, bus, ferry, and air transportation hubs. Wow!