Zipcar Now Available at More Than 225 Colleges and Universities in North America

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 9, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Zipcar Inc., the world's leading car-sharing service, announced today that it has expanded to 31 additional college and university campuses this fall.  The company now has a presence on more than 225 college and university campuses across North America, potentially serving up to 1.7 million students, faculty and staff.

"This fall, Zipcar has gone back to school in a big way," said Zipcar Chairman and CEO, Scott Griffith.  "We are expanding at a rapid pace because students, faculty and staff value a transportation alternative that is smart, cost effective and environmentally-friendly.  Expanding the University offering is a key part of our growth strategy as well.  Our college members can continue on as Zipsters after they graduate and move to a city that we serve."

"This is really a win/win situation for colleges and universities as well," Mr. Griffith continued.  "Zipcar helps to reduce parking demands on campuses and at the same time enables the colleges and universities to remain strong community partners by showing their commitment to sustainability."

Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to drivers looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car. The hourly and daily rates include gas, 180 miles of travel per day, insurance, reserved parking spots and roadside assistance. Rates on the vehicles start as low as $8 per hour and $66 per day (24 hours).

"Especially during an economically challenging time, students and parents are looking for smart ways to manage the total cost of education," said Matthew Malloy, Vice President of Global University Operations at Zipcar.  "Zipcar frees parents and students from the significant cost of car ownership, including car payments, parking, gas and insurance for a car that would otherwise sit idle for as much as 90 percent of the time or more."

As Zipcar's University program continues to expand, existing college members express enthusiasm over the convenience Zipcar adds to their campus experience.  

"First and foremost, I like Zipcar because of its convenience.  I can just hop online or use the app on my iPhone to reserve a car days, or even minutes, in advance, and just drive - no paperwork, no forms to fill out and no hassle.  Zipcar is perfect for anything from quick trips to the store, to a night at the movies, to a weekend getaway.  It's so much cheaper than having my own car on campus and paying for a parking permit, gas and insurance," said Andrew Schantz, a sophomore at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.  "Plus, they're just fun to drive. There are a bunch of cool cars in the fleet on my campus, and it's a nice perk to drive a new car every time I need to get somewhere."

"As a California native, it's impractical to bring a car to school in Syracuse, New York.  I like Zipcar because it offers the convenience of having a car on campus without the hassle," said Rebecca Balagia, a junior at Syracuse University.  "I hated having to bug my friends for rides all the time, but with Zipcar I get a car at my own convenience."

The annual membership fee for individuals at colleges and universities is $35 and applicants receive $35 worth of free driving credit that applies towards their first month of driving. Students, faculty and staff can join at http://www.zipcar.com/universities.  

Zipcars are self service, can be easily reserved and accessed 24 hours a day and are located in convenient spaces in high demand areas. Zipcar even offers a fun and functional iPhone app that will honk the horn to locate a Zipcar and unlock the doors for members.

Between August and November of 2010, Zipcar launched programs at the following 31 U.S. colleges and universities:   Boise State University, Bryn Mawr College, University of Buffalo, California University of Pennsylvania, Columbus State University, George Mason University, Hood College, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, East Carolina University, La Salle University, Bucknell University, Rhodes College, Marquette University, West Virginia University, University of Delaware, University of Notre Dame, Creighton University, Chapman University, Point Loma Nazarene University, Green Mountain College, Johnson & Wales University, University of Puget Sound, Rhodes Island School of Design, Virginia Commonwealth University, Pacific Lutheran University, Baylor University, Monmouth University, The College of William & Mary, Loyola Marymount University, Vassar College and Occidental College.

In addition to its presence on more than 225 college and university campuses, Zipcar has operations in major metro areas in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Los Angeles, London, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto, Washington D.C., and Vancouver.

About Zipcar

Zipcar is the world's leading car-sharing service with more than 500,000 members and 8,000 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.

Zipcar and the Zipcar logo are trademarks of Zipcar, Inc.

SOURCE Zipcar, Inc.