Hi Beth, just saw your post; without the '@' next to my name, I don't get notified. These are of Chinese origin, imported by a handful of companies in Holland and the US. Shaft drive bikes can be a good option for transportation sake with no chain to deal with. However, yes there's an exclusion!

they feel a little less responsive pedaling and they require different maintenance which most bike shops will be stymied to do. The drive system has to be lubed regularly. Some have easy ports to do this others don't. I don't have enough information to answer on this case. The other big 'However' is that this style of drive train absolutely does not stand up in the heat. Had a very good customer who bought an RMartin shaft drive (Chinese construct) and regularly parked it in his car when not riding it. That dried up the grease and was very problematic to fix, since the customer really only wanted to do annual type maintenance. This type of bike may require additional attention. Consider too that with limited distribution in the US, you may have issues finding help doing basic repairs or warranty maintenance. It really helps to have a local shop to consult with!
There are so many easy to maintain chain drive bikes, single and multi-speed that I would encourage you to look at. If you have to transport it regularly, a sheet or blanket or folding bike bag will protect your car or space at home.