Driving, Parking, and Ending a Trip

You can go anywhere in Canada or in the United States with a round-trip Communauto vehicle.

However, at the end of your trip, you must always release the car back at the station or station zone where you started your trip.

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 always release the car back at the station or station zone where you started your trip.

You can find parking details for a specific station in the Communauto app by clicking on the station name once you have selected a vehicle.

To find out the parking rules specific to a station, simply, after launching a search for “Find a vehicle” in the Communauto application, click on the name of this station. Learn more.

Please note: If your round-trip vehicle is equipped with a parking permit and you are travelling to another city where Communauto operates, 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).

How do I end my trip?

To end a trip, you must: 

1. Return the vehicle to the station where you picked it up.

   If you are returning to a station that you’re less familiar with, you can click on the name of the station in the mobile app to access station information. There you will find instructions for entering/exiting the parking lot (i.e. for a gated lot), or if there are specific parking rules that must be observed at this location. Also watch for alerts that may have been activated to pass along important information about out of the ordinary situations. Alerts are indicated to you when you are selecting your vehicle in the app by a red triangle with an exclamation mark, and the words « Important information »

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 mobile app, click on “Release” in the reservation banner, or hold your key fob (or compatible RFID card) to the reader to lock the doors and re-arm the anti-theft device (see Please Note).
4. Always double-check that the doors are locked before leaving the vehicle.

   If the vehicle didn’t lock properly, make sure everything is properly inserted in the key/card holder in the glove box. If the car still won’t lock, make sure all doors (including the tailgate, if applicable) are closed. 

Please Note 

If you used the mobile app to access the vehicle, you will also need to use the mobile app to end your trip. It is not possible to use your key fob (or compatible RFID card) to lock the vehicle and end your trip if you used the mobile app to access the vehicle.

However, the opposite is possible: you can use the mobile app to end a trip started with your key fob (or compatible RFID card).

If you have any problems, please call us for assistance.

Stations with Lock Box or Combination Box

In Quebec, if you are using a car parked at a station with a lock box, please return the keys and/or the parking access card/fob to the box for the next member. If necessary, read the station information available through the mobile app for the specific details for each station. (See “Are there stations where it is necessary to collect a key or access card before you can access the vehicle?“).

How do I release a car if I’m done using it earlier than expected?

If your reservation has already started, you will be able to release the vehicle, ending your trip early, by selecting « Release » on the mobile app, or « R » or through your online account, accessible through your branch’s website.

Important

If you use your key fob or compatible RFID card (OPUS card, Multi card, La vermeilleuse card, or other) rather than the mobile app to lock the vehicle, it remains necessary to select « Release » on the mobile app, or « R » on through your online account to release the vehicle and make it available for other members. Simply using your key fob to lock the doors will not end your trip.

Remember that no cancellation fees apply beyond the first 24 hours of a trip, so for multi-day trips, ensure that you release the vehicle if you come back early to save the cost of your remaining time. (See « What is the difference between cancelling a reservation and releasing a vehicle?« )