The March Hare: Summer 2006 Issue 49

Co-ops • Starting Something • The Way We Eat • Ironweed Maturing • Getting There • Crossword

Getting There

By Jennifer Johnson

One of Dancing Rabbit's covenants is that DR members will not use personal motorized vehicles. In order to meet the needs of members, a system needed to be created so that DR members could have their long-distance travel needs met. Thus, the Dancing Rabbit Vehicle Co-op was born.

DRVC is an inclusive co-op, open to members both on and off Dancing Rabbit property (currently, three of our DRVC members are not part of DR). Persons joining DRVC begin by talking to the DRVC secretary, paying a deposit, and going through a introduction to the co-op and its vehicles. All costs associated with membership other than the initial deposit are based on a member's actual vehicle use. Currently there are no additional responsibilities that are shared equally throughout DRVC membership.

The bulk of our income is from member's individual use fees ($.50 per driven mile), which pay for all the expenses that are incurred by the DRVC. Member fees must cover all of our vehicle maintenance, our administrative overhead, fuel, tags and licenses, vehicle replacement over time, and other miscellaneous costs. Any major improvements or investments in infrastructure are also paid for through these fees. DRVC has both officers and a committee that are empowered to make day-to-day decisions, but major decisions and any decisions that affect DRVC members are generally made through consensus of the DRVC membership.

Because we have chosen to prioritize environmental impact and conservation over convenience, we commit to minimizing our vehicle use and carpool whenever possible. Occasionally conflicts arise where the needs of the members outweigh the availability of the vehicles, but instances such as these are rare, and we are typically able to meet the needs of our 24 members with just our car and our truck. Each week, the DRVC membership gathers to coordinate ride-sharing opportunities and to plan vehicle use for the next week. Often, during trips, members will run errands for other members, minimizing vehicle use even further.

The DRVC has established an effective routine, and problems or conflicts don't come up very often. We've been doing this for years, and by this time it's a well-oiled machine*.

*Editorial Note: Pun absolutely intended.

Co-ops • Starting Something • The Way We Eat • Ironweed Maturing • Getting There • Crossword