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 Transportation is an essential service for most people, so it is no surprise to find co-ops of many shapes and forms in this sector. Many farmers rely on a co-op to transport their products to a central processing facility. Thousands of taxi drivers across the globe compete effectively by offering their services through co-ops. And wherever there is a need or challenge related to transportation, you will often find a co-op solution - whether it is to serve disabled people, or to provide public transit in rural areas.
More recently, co-ops have stepped up to the challenge of environmental sustainability, especially in urban areas. Car share co-ops allow people to save money associated with private car ownership while contributing to a healthier environment by reducing the number of cars on the road. Others are promoting bicycling as a way to keep the planet and the body healthy, and they have formed co-ops to make it possible for more people. In all cases, these co-ops create ways for people to work together to meet their social and economic needs.
The online tools and guides that appear on this page are the best of what is known to exist at this time. New materials will be added as they become available or as further research is completed in this area. NOTE: If you are aware of other tools or guides that should be added here, please let us know by sending an 
Case studies / Examples
 Car Share Co-ops
The following websites show a few of Canada's larger car share co-ops at work as they attempt to reduce the number of cars in our cities. For brief profiles of more car sharing co-ops in Canada, see the CCA document in the Reports and Other Resources section below.
 Co-operative Auto Network in Vancouver
Calgary Car Share Co-operative
Grand River Car Share, Ontario
Co-op Taxi
This link is to Edmonton's Co-op Taxi, but you will find taxi co-ops in most cities across Canada and throughout the world. They are a form of producer co-op, which allows independent taxi drivers to pool their strength and compete effectively in providing essential transportation services.
Ontario Directory of Transportation Co-operatives
This Ontario list includes co-operatives that offer taxi services, car share operations, and shared transport for farm producers. Many of the listings include websites for further information.
Strait Area Transit Co-operative, Nova Scotia
This news article offers a brief profile of a Nova Scotia group that created their own solution to the problem of public transit in rural areas. The co-op went into service in 2008 and recently expanded its reach to serve more communities of Cape Breton.
Co-operative Transport Maritime & Aérienne (CTMA)
This unique co-operative was founded in the 1940s to provide Les Îles de la Madeleine with a reliable means of marine transport, seen as a key to survival long before tourism became important in the area. Today, CTMA is an island-born success story, a co-operative in which most islanders have a partnership stake. It provides transportation both for tourists and for commercial purposes, and it is a key generator of economic development on the island.
Worker-owned bicycle co-ops
Here are two examples of worker owned co-ops in the bicycle business. One offers bike sales and service for Toronto commuters. The Winnipeg co-op also operates a successful year-round courier service.
Urbane Cyclist, Toronto
Natural Cycle, Winnipeg
Bike Co-op at University of British Columbia
This co-op promotes bicycling as a sustainable means of transportation and it offers a number of programs to make that possible. Members on UBC campus share access to a fleet of bikes, and they can attend courses to repair or build their own bikes. The co-op gives young people access to bicycles, and in the summer months its fleet of cargo bikes deliver goods from the farmer markets around Vancouver.
Egged Transportation Co-operative, Israel
This international example shows the scale at which co-operatives can operate. Formed in 1933, this co-op is the largest public transit provider in Israel. It operates more than 3,000 buses and does nearly $3 billion in annual business.
Reports and other resources
Car Sharing Co-operatives in Canada
This 2009 report by the Canadian Co-operative Association (CCA) presents a profile of car sharing co-operatives - with a brief history, the current status of the sector in Canada, the types of co-ops and how they work, their issues, and a look at the opportunities to expand and integrate this model into urban transportation strategy.
Economic Impact of Transportation Co-operatives in the US
Part of a larger report on the economic impact of co-operatives in the US, this document offers a brief profile of the many types of transportation co-ops operating in the US and calculates their impact on the economy.
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