June 24, 2010
U-PASS and Zipcar expand service to students ages 18 and older
For the first time, U-PASS members at the UW who are between 18 and 20 years old can join Zipcar and take advantage of Zipcar discount memberships through U-PASS.
Zipcar’s UW fleet is a mix of eight hybrid and fuel efficient Zipcars, which are now available to all students 18 years of age and older with a U-PASS. Zipcars are available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week and are located in reserved spaces throughout the campus. Every reservation includes gas, insurance, 180 free miles and roadside assistance.
“Carsharing is an important piece of the U-PASS suite of benefits. We are delighted to be able to offer Zipcar to nearly all student U-PASS members,” said Joshua Kavanagh, director of Transportation Services.
Student U-PASS members are able to join Zipcar for $25 — the usual $25 join fee is waived and the annual membership fee is dropped from $50 to $25 — and they can drive for as little as $7 per hour or $69 per day. In addition to the eight campus cars, members 21 and over will have access to Zipcar’s network of more than 7,000 vehicles throughout North America and the UK.
“We’ve been hearing from students who are under 21 that they want access to Zipcars, so today we’re answering their call,” said Carla Archambault, general manager for Zipcar Seattle. “We are opening the door to make car ownership optional for thousands more students on or near campus. We see this as a win for the campus and for its students.”
For students, Zipcar offers the freedom of car ownership without the associated cost and hassle of owning a car. For universities, it helps to manage demand for parking, reduces congestion, lowers emissions and adds a lifestyle-oriented service to the campus. Studies have shown the cost of a single parking space in Seattle and the greater surrounding area ranges from $4,000 to $40,000, depending on whether it’s an outdoor surface lot or underground garage. Each Zipcar can replace up to 14 personally-owned vehicles as members choose not to buy a car or sell their car.
Zipcar, which has been offering campus car sharing since 2002, now has programs at more than 150 colleges and universities across the country. For more information, click here.
