by Laura
This week I tried Zipcar for the first time, a few years behind the trend. Because we had both our own car and the subway in NYC, we never needed to seek out a loaner for a few hours. But, down here, sharing wheels has occasionally led to issues with double booking.
If we still lived in a metropolis, there’s no question that Zipcar would come in handy as an affordable alternative to auto ownership. With cars often stationed within walking distance of home, the convenience of being able to hop in and take off would be well worth the $7 an hour, which includes gas & insurance. As a UNC student, I get $35 in free driving, essentially eliminating the registration fee. Plus, having communal cars around campus makes good environmental sense.
Problem #1 – I don’t live right on campus, so renting a car still means taking the bus or biking to the pickup spot. While Zipcar is mostly genius, it’s really only practical for a niche market of folks within a certain walking radius.
Problem #2 – Old people would never use this service, and by old I mean folks over 40 or those with distinctly non-hipster sensibilities. I’m a mere 29, and I was still nervous when I noticed that the eco-friendly nature of the company meant that they mostly stocked the 2o10 Toyota Prius. I’d love to take the Prius out for a test drive, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted my first experience with its funky dashboard and no-key startup system (which also turns the ignition off when the car is stopped at a light or intersection) to be when I was in a rush to get to an appointment or in a rental.
Problem #3 – This would rarely make sense for daily commuting – it’s more for road trips within their 180 mile standard limit, or occasional errands. It also kind of sucks that you’re charged by the hour and not by the distance driven, although I can see why a flat rate makes sense. My rental essentially sat parked for two hours while I went to a meeting only 15 minutes away (but unfortunately just off the bus line). Someone else would have paid the same rate to make multiple stops or spend more of that time on the road, burning up gas.
Problem #4 – You pay per driver, which means you must have your own individual membership. Their website referenced a household partnership, but it wasn’t easy to see how to sign up, and when it comes to group deals, they seem more organization oriented than family friendly.
But, regardless, I could get into the spirit of Zipcar, and for densely populated urban areas, it provides a clear service. There are even extra value plans, where you commit to using anywhere from $50-$250 worth of driving per month for a 10-15% discount.
Besides, getting a car within your neighborhood is easier than traveling to a regular rental agency outpost – around here, those are mostly located at the airport, 30 minutes away. Reservation information can be accessed in a flash via text message or through an iPhone app.
I could also see how their business plans would be great for my former office, which had to rely on pricey car services to get around the city. And, the company values an innovative sense of community. At Stanford University, Zipcar partnered with a local online ride-sharing board, making the cost even cheaper.
Zip away!
Laura
Harold
