Q: How do I reserve, pickup, and dropoff the car?

As a member, you'll get access to our simple online reservation system which allows you to block out any upcoming trips with a couple taps. You can also just text us. Most of our fleets are stored in valet garages. Our booking system automatically gives the garage a heads up before your reservation, so just head over when you're ready to pick up. Upon arrival you'll just need to show your ID to get the keys. Let us know if you see anything wrong with the car before hitting the road. When you're done, return the car to the same garage and leave the keys with the attendant. Please do a quick clean to make sure you leave the car in a condition you'd want to find it in.

Q: How do I become a member?

Emblem Motor Club is a proud community of car-light urbanites who are a looking for a more convenient and sustainable way to get around in the city, whether they be single professionals, young families, or empty nesters. We look for members who are safe drivers, flexible with their car needs -- and most of all -- good neighbors. If that sounds like you, apply today. We meet with every prospective member to walk through how the membership works and make sure we're a good mutual fit.

Q: Who's allowed to drive?

Only approved members, please. Your membership includes a free secondary driver for a spouse or domestic partner - as long as you let us know. This one's serious - only approved members are covered by insurance and authorized for pickup with the garage. If you allow a non-approved driver to take the wheel, they won't be covered in case of an accident and you'll be on the hook for full damages.

Q: How does insurance work?

Accidents happen - even to careful drivers. Membership includes insurance provided by our fleet partner, but it's important to understand its limits. Damage to the car Your membership includes coverage for the vehicle. If damage occurs, you'd be responsible up to a $1500 deductible per incident, but anything beyond that is covered. Roadside assistance is also included at no extra cost, as long as the car is being used appropriately. Third-party liability (injury & property damage) Membership includes the minimum liability coverage required by New York State - you can read more about the limits here. If you're involved in an incident that exceeds those limits, you'd be on the hook for the remaining costs. (Note: credit cards that include rental car insurance typically only cover damage to the car, not third-party liability). Many members choose to purchase a non-owner car insurance policy for added peace of mind. These policies are much more affordable than owned car insurance and provide added liability protection every time you rent or borrow any car. We don’t sell insurance, but we’re happy to point you toward trusted providers.

Q: What's the cancellation policy?

Membership is month-to-month. If you don't feel like you're getting enough value out of it, you're welcome to cancel - no hard feelings. We just ask for 30 days notice so that we have a chance to fill your spot. Your cancellation will be effective at the end of your last monthly billing cycle. If you decide to cancel, we unfortunately can't guarantee your spot back. If you're just heading out of town for an extended trip but want to hold your spot, we do consider temporary membership pauses on a case-by-case basis.

Question 1

How much does the monthly membership cost? What is / is not included?

Accepted Answer

Exact membership prices differ by location, but are typically less than the cost of a garage parking spot.  When applying to a specific location you'll see the exact price listed.

All reservations, garage parking, maintenance, insurance, and roadside assistance are included in the monthly price.  You'll only pay out-of-pocket for fuel*, tolls, tickets, and non-covered damage you rack up.

*For electric fleets, in-garage charging at the car's home location is included in the price point.   You'll only pay for extra charging you might need while on a longer trip.

Question 2

Is there an initiation fee to join?

Accepted Answer

Nope! Unlike leasing or financing a car, we don't ask for a hefty downpayment upfront.

With that said, we do ask for a fully refundable security deposit of $500 when you join - as a way of making sure you treat the cars well.  You'll get back the full thing back (minus any unpaid damages) if you leave the club.

Question 3

What kind of cars will I drive? Who owns them?

Accepted Answer

Our cars are owned and managed by professional fleets, so you don't need to deal with the hassle.  The exact models you'll drive will depend on the specific location you join, but we generally aim to pair our members with premium crossovers and compact SUVs that are right-sized for the city.  We prioritize working with EV and hybrid fleets, where possible.         If you have questions on the specs of the cars in your location, shoot us a text.

Question 4

How is this different than ZipCar, Turo, or rental cars?

Accepted Answer

Our membership is different from carshare and rentals in that it's designed to feel like it's your own car.  Here's how we do it:

Rather than charge you every time you want to use a car, all reservations come included in a single monthly price.   Because no one wants to pay $40 to run to the grocery store.
Our cars are exclusively available to a select group of neighbors rather than shared by thousands of strangers.  This results in better availability for you, along with better quality cars that are treated with more respect than a typical rental.

Question 5

Can I really use the cars as often as I want?

Accepted Answer

Yes, within reason.  Our membership is designed with a few principles in mind:
Intended for car-light users: if you use a car everyday, this probably isn't for you (and that's okay!)
Keep it to a tight group: cars are exclusively available to a select group of trusted neighbors so you're never competing with a wide pool for availability. 
Give everyone a fair shot to book:  while we generally try to avoid scheduling restrictions, we have a few common sense ones in place so no one hogs the cars.  
If a car is available short notice, just take it: we pride ourselves on being a reliable on-demand option.

How it works:
"Grab-n-go" trips (< 4 hours): reserve 0 to 7 days out.
"Getaway" trips (1-3 days): reserve 2 to 60 days out.  Max 3 days on the calendar at a time (for example: if you take a car on a long weekend trip - upon returning - you're free to reserve another weekend trip.

In practice, our membership works well for a few short trips per week, plus a long weekend every month.  For that type of usage, there is more than enough car to go around.

Question 6

How do I reserve, pickup, and dropoff the car?

Accepted Answer

As a member, you'll get access to our simple online reservation system which allows you to block out any upcoming trips with a couple taps.  You can also just text us.

Most of our fleets are stored in valet garages.  Our booking system automatically gives the garage a heads up before your reservation, so just head over when you're ready to pick up.  Upon arrival you'll just need to show your ID to get the keys.  Let us know if you see anything wrong with the car before hitting the road.  When you're done, return the car to the same garage and leave the keys with the attendant.  Please do a quick clean to make sure you leave the car in a condition you'd want to find it in.

Question 7

How do I become a member?

Accepted Answer

Emblem Motor Club is a proud community of car-light urbanites who are a looking for a more convenient and sustainable way to get around in the city, whether they be single professionals, young families, or empty nesters.  We look for members who are safe drivers, flexible with their car needs -- and most of all -- good neighbors.  If that sounds like you, apply today.

We meet with every prospective member to walk through how the membership works and make sure we're a good mutual fit.

Question 8

Who's allowed to drive?

Accepted Answer

Only approved members, please.  Your membership includes a free secondary driver for a spouse or domestic partner - as long as you let us know.

This one's serious - only approved members are covered by insurance and authorized for pickup with the garage.   If you allow a non-approved driver to take the wheel, they won't be covered in case of an accident and you'll be on the hook for full damages.

Question 9

How does insurance work?

Accepted Answer

Accidents happen - even to careful drivers.  Membership includes insurance provided by our fleet partner, but it's important to understand its limits.

Damage to the car
Your membership includes coverage for the vehicle.  If damage occurs, you'd be responsible up to a $1500 deductible per incident, but anything beyond that is covered.  Roadside assistance is also included at no extra cost, as long as the car is being used appropriately.

Third-party liability (injury & property damage)
Membership includes the minimum liability coverage required by New York State - you can read more about the limits here. If you're involved in an incident that exceeds those limits, you'd be on the hook for the remaining costs. (Note: credit cards that include rental car insurance typically only cover damage to the car, not third-party liability).

Many members choose to purchase a non-owner car insurance policy for added peace of mind. These policies are much more affordable than owned car insurance and provide added liability protection every time you rent or borrow any car. We don’t sell insurance, but we’re happy to point you toward trusted providers.

Question 10

What's the cancellation policy?

Accepted Answer

Membership is month-to-month.  If you don't feel like you're getting enough value out of it, you're welcome to cancel - no hard feelings.  We just ask for 30 days notice so that we have a chance to fill your spot.  Your cancellation will be effective at the end of your last monthly billing cycle.

If you decide to cancel, we unfortunately can't guarantee your spot back.  If you're just heading out of town for an extended trip but want to hold your spot, we do consider temporary membership pauses on a case-by-case basis.

Question 11

How do fuel, tolls, and tickets work?

Accepted Answer

Fuel
As a principle, we only charge you for the fuel you use.   No markup.

Gas cars:  Before and after each trip you take, we remotely read the fuel levels in the car.  Every month we do the math on how much fuel you used or added on net, and charge or credit you accordingly (using local market rates).  Please always return the car with at least 1/4 tank of gas so it's ready for the next member.     
EVs: charging at the home garage is included as part of the membership.  If you're on a long trip and end up using a Tesla Supercharger (billed to us) we'll just charge you back for it at the end of the month.

Tolls
Our fleet is equipped with EZPass.  We'll charge you at the end of the month for tolls you use.

Tickets
If you happen to get an in-person ticket (eg parking) while the vehicle is in your possession, please pay it on time.  For camera tickets, we'll pay and charge you back.

Question 12

Do you clean the cars?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but not after every trip. Because our cars are used by a small group of neighbors - rather than lots of strangers - we rely on and expect our members to clean up after themselves reasonably well.  This allows us to keep our operational overhead low and pass back savings to you.

How clean? Our standard is: treat the cars as if you were borrowing from a friend.  We keep each car stocked with wipes and basic cleaning supplies to make it easy for you.

We do budget for periodic deeper cleans (e.g. exterior washes, interior vacuuming) as needed.  See a car that needs a scrub? Just let us know.  Need it cleaned in a pinch?  If you bring it to a carwash we will reimburse you in full - just text us the receipt.

Question 13

Are pets okay?

Accepted Answer

You're welcome to have your furry friend ride along, but you are responsible for cleaning up after them - that means no hair left behind! We typically stock our cars with a pet seat cover in the trunk - please use it or bring your own.  Read more about out our cleaning policy.

Question 14

Have a different question?

Accepted Answer

We'd be happy to help answer it for you.  Call or text us at 718-400-6376.

FAQ