Any resident New Yorker can explain to you the perils of commuting- be it inside or outside of Manhattan. From public transportation outages and cutbacks to the headaches of traffic and congestion, getting from A to B in a timely manner can routinely be anything but. While clearing up traffic lanes may be an unfeasible problem to solve, a soon to be launched business is doing their part in attempting to make getting around a little bit more affordable. Enter Carpingo, a home-grown hourly car share company with headquarters located right in Brooklyn.

Carpingo is the brainchild of Gil Cygler, a Brooklyn native and the former chief officer of AllCar Rent-a-Car, a prominent player in New York City’s car rental business for over 30 years, with a dozen locations citywide. Using the 2012-13 “Fiat 500″ as their signature compact car, the company’s rental plans are simple and highly cost effective with a variety of flexible options for users. Carpingo offers affordable pay-as-you-go plans or a monthly super saver plan, suited for longer term drivers. Whether you keep your car all day or simply for an hour, their aim is to keep rates low and satisfaction high. And unlike similar business, Carpingo is truly serious about being your, “community car share company” providing its customers with the types of ongoing perks that New Yorkers really appreciate.

With the business set to open in July, Carpingo hosted their official pre-launch party at Wednesday night’s “Rooftop Films at BAMcinemaFest” event as a preview of their inventive new business. Although the “Rooftop Films” series has been entertaining and educating New Yorkers about great independent films for years, it was an ideal location to bring people in and to spread the word about the business. With the weather a perfect mix of pleasant summer with a breeze, the pop-up venue was located in the shadow of the ornate BAM opera house. Leading up to the film, performance artist & DJ “Vacation Dad” fed our ears with original audio mixes. The film being shown was titled “The Comedy,” directed by Rick Alverson and starring alternative comedy powerhouse Tim Heidecker of “Tim & Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” fame. The film is a slow burn, half drama half comedy hybrid which some may find challenging upon viewing. The feature follows Heidecker as a wandering Williamsburg hipster slowly trying to make his way in the ultra-cool hood. Fans of Heidecker will surely enjoy his role in the film. While, lovers of straightforward film-making may think otherwise.

It was a savvy move to see a home-grown business such as Carpingo paired with a grassroots company like “Rooftop Films.” The night was a total immersion of local business appreciation. Ask anyone and they will tell you that doing anything from carrying groceries or moving apartments in the city is not an easy task. That’s why having a car you can grab for a few hours at a time is such a blessing. You may not need one today, but trust me when you are trying to carry a bookshelf through ten city blocks you’ll be glad you picked up a Carpingo membership. Be sure to head over to their website to find out all the latest updates and start driving!

- Jay Rubin