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How It Works

Our Services

In Alberta, Communauto offers two distinct services: the one-way FLEX service, which does not require a reservation, and the round-trip reservation service.

Want to know how to take a Communauto FLEX trip? Watch the How It Works video below! For all the details, see Using and Parking One-Way FLEX Vehicles in the FAQ.

Want to know how to reserve and use a Communauto round-trip vehicle in Edmonton or Calgary? Watch the How It Works video below! For all the details, see Using Round-trip Vehicles available by reservation in the FAQ.

One-way FLEX without reservation

Travel from point A to B: Release your FLEX car where you want, when you want.

  • The ideal solution for spontaneous trips or when you plan to return using another transportation mode.
  • Release the car at your destination within the FLEX Zone to minimize costs and take advantage of parking in resident-only zones.
  • Feel the freedom of getting around with FLEX!

Round-trip vehicles available by reservation

Station-based: Bring your Communauto back to its station.

  • Pick up the car at the station you selected and return it to the station where you picked it up at the agreed time.
  • Round-trip vehicles can be booked up to a month in advance.
  • Ideal for planned trips or when you need to make sure you have access to a vehicle at a specific time and place.

All Alberta members have access to vehicles in both Calgary and Edmonton with their membership.

To learn how to access cars elsewhere, see How do I use Communauto in other provinces and countries? in the FAQ.

Find a Car

The links below will give you a quick overview of our vehicle network in Alberta. Download the Communauto app to block a one-way FLEX vehicle or reserve a round-trip vehicle in Edmonton or Calgary.

Our Fleet

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Our fleet is mainly made up of compact hatchbacks and mid-size sedans, for example:

We also have more spacious models available, perfect for your out-of-town trips:

In Alberta, our fleet is made up of all gas vehicles.

When reserving round-trip vehicles, you can use the “Options” tool in the mobile app to search for a specific vehicle category or set of accessories.

All our vehicles are non-smoking.

Parking Rules

Freedom from parking hassles is one of the big advantages of carsharing. There’s no need to pay for monthly parking, and it’s one more way that carsharing saves you money, since parking is included when you use a Communauto vehicle! 

FLEX parking

Most on-street parking in the FLEX Zone is allowed—including in your neighbourhood, ePark( Edmonton), Park Plus (Calgary), and in time-limited and residential parking zones.

Hitting up a park in the FLEX Zone? Amazing! Don’t end your trip here as there is no overnight parking allowed.

Making a pit stop somewhere? Communauto vehicles are perfect for running errands. Stopovers are allowed while you are on your trip, be sure to take the keys with you so you can return to the car after your errands.

Keep in mind that you are not allowed to release a vehicle in an area with tow-away zones or commuter lanes, even if parking is permitted at the time of ending your trip.

FLEX trips must be ended in the Zone and parked according to our Parking Rules.

To learn all the details about where you can or cannot park inside the FLEX Zone consult our FLEX parking guides:

FLEX parking rules for Edmonton

FLEX parking rules for Calgary

Round-trip vehicle parking

Most of our round-trip vehicles in Edmonton or Calgary have designated on-street parking stations, where you’ll park the car as close to the intersection as possible at the assigned location.

The rest of our round-trip vehicles have  reserved parking spaces which will be waiting for you at the end of each trip.

Temporary stops in the FLEX Zone are also permitted with round-trip vehicles, but the FLEX parking rules for Edmonton must be respected.

Find out parking details in the Communauto app by clicking on the station name once you have selected a vehicle. Learn more >

Gas

The cost of gas is always included in our rates.

For your convenience, credit cards are provided in vehicles for refuelling. For instructions on how to use the cards, see Fuelling, collisions, and other trip-related questions in the FAQ.

We ask that you return the vehicles with at least a quarter tank of gas. This is a rule of courtesy toward other members.

Insurance

Communauto vehicles are covered by insurance, including collision and third-party liability. You can drive with peace of mind!

When you apply, all you have to do is choose a Damage Protection Plan option which will determine the maximum damage fee you will have to pay in the event of collision or damage to a vehicle, namely: $ 0, $300, or $600 per event (responsible or not). Learn more >

See Insurance and Damage Protection in the FAQ for full details.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to join, you must:

  • Be at least 19 years of age (unless joining under a family membership)
  • Have a valid and unexpired Class 5 or 5-GDL license
  • Have a relatively clean driving record (3-year Standard Driver Abstract)
  • Have a good credit record

Within a minimum of the last three years, you must:

  • Have no major or criminal driving convictions
  • Have no violations relating to impaired driving

You can order your driving record online, or in person at a registry agent.

If you prefer, we can obtain your driving record for you ($20). You can request this in the online application form.

See Eligibility Criteria in the FAQ for full details, or what to do if your driver’s licence has been issued in another province or country.

Application timeline

Please allow four business days for us to process your application.

As soon as you receive the email confirming approval of your application, you can start using the service without delay.