The Z’s of Alternative Transportation
“Alternative” may have connotations of “underground” or “independent,” but the Office of Sustainability hopes alternative transportation brings to mind a sense of open sharing and community at Wake Forest University. With options including the car sharing program Zipcar and the campus carpool network Zimride, Wake Forest faculty, staff, and students have access to transportation without bringing a car to campus.
WFU now offers four Zipcars on campus, including an additional car by the new residence halls on the North side of campus. To access the vehicles, and the international Zipcar network, anyone with a wfu.edu email address can join for a reduced first-year fee of $25 with the promo code B2S2013. New members also receive $45 of free driving credit to try out the program in the first month. Depending on the vehicle, rates start at $7.50/hr or $69/day and include gas and insurance. Unlike traditional rentals, Zipcar for Universities only requires drivers to be 18 or older and have a valid driver’s license (international drivers are welcome). In addition to personal accounts, faculty and staff can create departmental Zipcar accounts and reserve Zipcars for WFU-related travel.
Members can reserve Zipcars for an hour or a whole weekend, depending upon need. The free iOS Zipcar app makes on-the-fly reservations even easier. As Zipcar likes to emphasize, it’s like owning a car without the hassle.
For anyone with a vehicle on campus who is looking to share a ride, Zimride is available to facilitate carpooling. With a wfu.edu email address or a Facebook login, prospective carpool partners can register trips through the secure network. The free iOS Zimride app also puts the power to post or request a ride in the hands of the user. A Zimride member can offer a ride for free or ask passengers to help cover the costs of the trip. Either way, extra cars are off the road during rush hour, busy weekends, and holiday travel times. For a daily commute, a shared ride to a meeting, or a trip out of town, Zimride helps make the match.
By Hannah Slodounik, Program Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability