Zipcars – Are students using them?
Zipcars came to Wake Forest on January 20th and are already getting a lot of use. Many college programs get a slow start, but at Wake Forest we’re half way to the usage rate that would allow us to add another vehicle to the fleet. As demand grows, so will the number of vehicles on campus.
According to a program overview, “Zipcar is the world’s leading car-sharing service with 325,000 members and 6,500 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout 28 North American states and provinces as well as in London, England. Zipcar, which has been offering campus car sharing since 2002, now has programs at more than 120 colleges and universities across the country.” To join on campus, you must only be 18 years of age. If you are 21 years or older, you will have access to Zipcar’s 6,500 vehicles in cities and campuses around the US and the UK.
As Thomas Friedman points out in his new book, the world is indeed becoming hot, flat, and crowded. Zipcar provides a practical solution to this problem by reducing congestion and carbon emissions, as members have reported driving “40% less than they did before using car sharing.” Without a doubt, this program is both cost-efficient and environmentally effective.