August 25 is celebrated as Car Sharing Day in Moscow, with a government-backed promotion running from August 18 to 25 across three Russian cities — Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Sochi. Participants include users of Yandex Drive, Delimobil, Citydrive, and BelkaCar, while Deptrans has commissioned a portrait study of a car-sharing driver in collaboration with operators.
Industry researchers have long noted a typical profile among short-term car rental users. The majority are men around the mid-thirties who work in office-based roles and often have children. More than seven in ten respondents report driving experience of seven years or more. Almost half have been using car-sharing for three years or longer, and nearly half own a car, though many show no intent to purchase a vehicle in the near future. A sizable share also relies on public transit alongside car-sharing, mixing metro, MCC, MCD, and overground services with scooters and bicycles to complete daily travel.
The data shows that people frequently choose car-sharing for commuting to work, visiting shopping centers, or reaching train stations. Typical trip lengths average around 16 kilometers, about 36 minutes, and usage remains steady through all seasons, with 84 percent of respondents reporting car-sharing use in both winter and summer.
Compared with conditions at the turn of the millennium, the number of 18-year-olds who plan to buy a car immediately after obtaining a license has dropped significantly, with many preferring short-term rental options. Moscow has embraced this shift, noting that a single car from a car-sharing fleet can serve approximately seven users per day. This translates to a substantial reduction in road traffic, lower air pollution levels, and eased parking congestion as car reliance shifts away from private ownership.
Maxim Liksutov, Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport, explains that nearly half of users exhibit a new behavioral model that moves from mere consumption to a culture of sharing. This shift reflects a growing tendency among residents to treat a common resource as a city-wide asset. He highlights that many car-sharing participants, including those with preschool or school-age children, observe and imitate this sharing behavior, shaping habits at a young age.
The transition toward car-sharing also influences how people think about time. A pay-per-use model encourages more balanced movement and more economical trip planning across the city. The service presents itself as a compelling alternative to owning a passenger car. By reducing the number of private vehicles on the road, car-sharing contributes to lower congestion and improved urban ecology. In some cases, it supports the idea of giving up personal ownership in favor of shared mobility, while maintaining reliable access to transportation when needed.
For residents whose private vehicle sits idle for long stretches, the Steering Wheels — Cars for Friends program offers a practical option. The platform lets owners share their car with trusted friends and monitor the vehicle remotely, including location, speed, and fuel level. Owners retain control over who may use the car, and the program encourages a collaborative approach to mobility. Interested residents are encouraged to participate, with registration facilitated through the program’s official channels.
Since 2018, the city has provided subsidies to car-sharing operators to help cover lease payments. This year the city plans to continue supporting car-sharing in Moscow and to reimburse part of the expansion costs for the fleet. By order of the mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, the amount of grant funding has doubled, easing financial obligations to banks. Operators can maintain a fleet around 30 thousand cars, the largest in the world, supporting employment for more than two thousand people in car-sharing services. The aim remains clear — keep car-sharing accessible and convenient while expanding features and options to meet resident needs and broaden the city’s mobility choices.
The ongoing commitment to operators is part of a broader strategy to preserve the ease of access to car-sharing. Moscow intends to continue developing the service so that residents have even more ways to move around the city, with improvements that enhance user experience and support sustainable urban transport. Citations: Moscow City Transport data and statements from city officials.