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Driving, Parking, and Ending a Trip (FLEX)

  • Where can I go with a FLEX vehicle?
    You can go anywhere in Canada or in the United States with a FLEX vehicle. However, at the end of your trip, you must always release the car back inside the FLEX zone (or at a FLEX drop-off point), in the same city where the vehicle belongs, and respecting the FLEX parking rules for that city.
  • Where can I park a FLEX vehicle?
    During your trip, you are responsible for parking the vehicle legally and respecting signage like any other driver. At the end of your trip, you must bring the vehicle back inside the FLEX zone (or to a FLEX drop-off point), and release it in a street parking spot that adheres to the FLEX parking rules for your city. Please review the FLEX Parking Guide for your city of use for the specific regulations and privileges you should be aware of before making a FLEX trip. Please note: If your FLEX vehicle is equipped with a parking permit and you are travelling to another city where FLEX service is available, you will not have access to the same parking privileges as granted in the vehicle’s city of origin (parking permits from one city are not valid in another).
  • What is a FLEX drop-off point and how do I use one?
    FLEX drop-off points are designated parking spaces for releasing FLEX cars, located on or off street, generally located outside the FLEX Zone, or in areas where other parking options are limited. Tips for using FLEX drop-off points:
    • You can start or end a trip at a FLEX drop-off point, but using these spaces for temporary stopovers is not allowed.
    • Parking availability is not guaranteed.
    • To know how many spaces are available before heading to a drop-off point, to know if temporary stops are allowed there, or to find out if any temporary parking restrictions apply (for example, certain drop-off points could be closed for construction, or snow removal), check out the map on our mobile app or website.
    • Parking icons on the map are clickable. Click on an icon to see additional information about specific FLEX drop-off points.
    In Montreal : Curbside drop-off points are exempt from street cleaning parking restrictions in effect from April 1 to December 1. Learn more.
  • How can I make a temporary stopover with a FLEX vehicle?
    Keep the car key with you during stopovers and use it to lock and unlock the doors. This also applies for vehicles with push-button start ignitions. If you forget to remove the key from the key/card holder (in the glove box) during a temporary stopover, the trip auto-close mechanism will activate after a few seconds, meaning another member could see the vehicle as being available and drive away with it, along with anything you’ve left inside. Do not be distracted!
  • How do I end a trip with a FLEX vehicle?

    It is important to end your trip properly. Closing the doors to the vehicle, or using the buttons inside to lock the doors, is not enough to correctly end your trip.

    To end a trip correctly and in a secure way, you must:

    1. Return the car to the FLEX zone or a FLEX Drop-Off Point.
    2. Plug the car key back into the key/card holder in the glove box, where you took it from at the start of your trip.

      Please note, it is the USB stick or the round plug attached to the car key (not the car key blade) that must be inserted. Ensure the gas cards have been returned as well. The red light on the key/card holder will go off once everything is properly inserted.
    3. Exit the car, close the doors, and:
      In the Communauto app: Click on “End trip”. This will simultaneously lock the doors, rearm the immobilizer, and release the vehicle.
      With your RFID key or equivalent: Place your RFID key or equivalent on the reader. This will lock the doors and rearm the vehicle and, unlike with reservation-based vehicles, it will also end your trip.
    4. Always double-check that the doors are locked before leaving the vehicle.
  • What should I do if I’m having trouble ending my trip with a FLEX vehicle?

    If the vehicle does not lock as it should:

    • Make sure you are within the FLEX zone or at a FLEX Drop-off Point. A light near the steering wheel will illuminate if you are outside the zone.
    • Check if any accessory is missing from the key/card holder in the glove compartment, and that all doors (including the rear hatch, if applicable) are properly closed.
    • If you used the app to start the trip and cannot end it the same way, use your RFID key or equivalent to lock the doors, or vice versa.

    If you started the trip with your RFID key or equivalent instead of using the app, make sure to use the same key you used at the start to end it.

    Possible causes and solutions

    Interference with a weak Wi-Fi signal that your phone has previously connected to: When someone ends a trip near their home, interference with their home Wi-Fi signal may prevent the app from working properly. To bypass this issue, temporarily turn off Wi-Fi on your mobile device.

    Technical problem: If your end of trip coincides with an announcement that a technical problem is disrupting the service, click on the “Learn more” link displayed in the banner in the app and follow the instructions to know how to end the trip under the circumstances.

    If the situation persists, contact us.

Updated on March 20, 2024
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