I-GO was launched in 2002 by the Center for Neighborhood Technology as a non-profit corporation to introduce car sharing to the Midwest. Support was also provided by the City of Chicago and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

I-GO operates an extensive, varied fleet of 100% low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicles throughout the metropolitan area and is committed to serving all neighborhoods. We believe that everyone in our region is entitled to convenient, affordable transportation options without having to own a car.

I-GO provides its members with immediate access to vehicles near their homes, work, or public transit routes and stations. Members reserve cars online or by phone (either by contacting our 24-hour Member Services call center or using I-GO’s mobile reservations site on web-enabled smartphones) and self-access vehicles by means of an electronic smart card—all for one hourly rate that covers gas and insurance. Our research indicates that I-GO members reduce annual transportation expenses by up to $5,000.

I-GO’s joint initiative with the CTA—providing access to I-GO cars and CTA trains and buses with one smart card—was launched in January 2009, and is the nation’s first such partnership between a public transit agency and car-sharing service. The program amply illustrates I-GO’s unique visionary aim in the car-sharing industry: to lead the way toward an integrated, multi-modal network of sustainable transportation that, cumulatively, reduces car ownership, urban congestion, and greenhouse gases while creating an affordable and convenient alternative for residents.