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Last year David Emory ditched his car. Now he relies on mass transit or his own two feet to get around. He works in transportation planning. So it seems appropriate.

It's nice not to have to, you know, worry about the upkeep of a car. You know, don't worry about parking or the insurance. It's definitely saving you some money now.

The 28-year-old also joined / a car-sharing network when he needs to go the distance to the suburbs of Atlanta or shop for something too big to haul on the commuter rail. Flexcar members sign up online for the car. The Seattle-based company, which launched seven years ago, relies on smart card technology to track trips.

Start reservation system would not allow two people to reserve the same car at the same time. And so if someone walks up to it, it's not gonna open up for them unless they have a reservation on that car. And it's not gonna start for them unless they've made a reservation on that car.

Each vehicle has assigned parking. The device on the windshield reads your card which opens the vehicle and the key is in the glove box. The company takes care of routine maintenance and insurance. With gas, it's all about courtesy. If the tank is low, fill it up for the next driver.

You don't pay for it out of pocket. There is this card, right here.

Up until now, car-sharing programs have really catered to niche crowds. But with more U.S. cities facing major transportation challenges and congestion, car-sharing just may be a viable option.

I think it's the answer to what I think of as a sort of transportation renaissance.

And it's happening across the country. Flexcar has 40,000 members in nine cities and it's expanding. Like Boston-based competitor Zipcar, if you are a member in one city, you can borrow a set of wheels in another market.

Catherine Ross, a professor of Georgia Tech, specializes in regional development. She is a fan of car-sharing.

It improves air quality, it reduces congestion, it improves the green space because now we don't have to accommodate parking. It's great for development. They can have lower parking ratios now. You don't have to provide huge parking for every new development. I just think it's a win-win.

The Atlanta Regional Commission estimates an additional 2.2 million people will move into the Atlanta Metro area over the next 25 years. So programs like car-sharing could be critical in helping unclog congestion here and in other cities across America.

Melissa Long, CNN, Atlanta.