Motorists who used GoTo’s vehicle-sharing service are looking for alternative ways to get around after the operation unexpectedly shut down, though some former users said the service never lived up to its name. 

GoTo users received an e-mail from the company announcing that all services in Malta will end at the beginning of October. 

The pandemic, together with low user uptake, made GoTo’s electric car service unsustainable, according to the company.

The company said it failed to recoup the losses after the pandemic as car ownership remains the “undisputed solution of choice” for most commuters in Malta.

Nataly Zuleta Barco, a frequent user of the car-sharing service, said she was bitterly disappointed upon hearing the news.

Zuleta Barco does not own a car but between the GoTo service and public transport, she could easily reach her destination. 

The 37-year-old healthcare professional used the service for a year and a half.

“I use the bus or other scooter-sharing services for my daily commute but for faraway places, I don’t know what to do,” she said. 

“For me, GoTo cars were a good option before because I don’t need a car every day. I found the service especially convenient considering I live in Sliema, a centre of GoTo spaces.”

She would often find an available car in her vicinity and drive to Mater Dei Hospital where she works and would always find a parking slot.

The company had over 450 reserved spots throughout Malta, according to GoTo’s user’s guide.  

Clayton Darmanin, a local DJ would rent the cars on weekends.

“I used it when going out drinking and then I used to catch a cab home,” he said. 

The 38-year-old had been using the service since the company’s launch in 2018. Renting a GoTo car cost him €17 per hour but would on average pay around €5 because he used the service for short trips.

He is now relying more on public transport but fears more will now go back to using their own car, said Darmanin, who also owns Groove Motoring School.  

I have wasted hours on buses since GoTo’s departure

GoTo moped sharing service has also been discontinued.

Video editor Karl Micallef said mopeds allowed him to get to his destination when riding his beloved bicycle was not feasible. 

The reasonable service fee and filtering through traffic were two factors that attracted him to GoTo, he said. 

“For the time being I’m using a competitor’s service, although the fewer vehicles available make it harder to find one available to rent in my area,” he said. 

Personal trainer Sky Howes would use the car-sharing service to go surfing and used the moped to meet clients.

He now uses alternatives including competing scooter shares, taxis, and the bus, though he describes Malta’s public transport system as a “disaster”. 

“I have wasted hours on buses since GoTo’s departure, and had to pay taxi fares which were unnecessary,” he said.

The 24-year-old explained he would pay a flat fee of €3 for the first 15 minutes of using a GoTo car and 40 cents per minute after that.

He said the price was reasonable when using the service for a short while, but a long trip could be costly.

“Once, I sat in the same spot in Msida for 20 minutes. It cost me €8 just to sit in traffic.”

Car-sharing service GoTo has called it quits. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Not all those who used the car-sharing service were happy with the service.

Interior designer Martha Spiteri used GoTo cars on-site visits but stopped using the service two years ago as she would often not find an available car next to her office or when leaving her meetings. 

Declining taxi prices also helped her decision, the 26-year-old said.

“I would rather use a taxi and not worry about parking,” the designer said.  

Another former user quit the service in 2020 after a bad experience.

“There was nowhere to park, as the two parking spaces had been taken. I needed to park in a regular spot and since I was not parking in the designated place the car didn’t want to switch off,” she said. 

“So honestly I don’t care if they’re here or not,” she said.