West Virginia University Partners with Zipcar to Offer 24/7 Transportation Option

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, West Virginia University (WVU) launched a new partnership with Zipcar Inc., providing the campus with access to the world's leading car-sharing service. The partnership replaces WeCar's presence at the university and provides students, faculty, and staff members, ages 18 and older, with access to a convenient and cost-efficient transportation alternative – 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Zipcar is an environmentally friendly transportation alternative. Each Zipcar takes 15 to 20 privately owned vehicles off the road. Gas, 180 miles per day, insurance, reserved parking spots and roadside assistance are included in the hourly and daily Zipcar rates. Cars can be reserved for as short as an hour or for up to four days. Rates on all WVU vehicles start as low as $8 per hour and $66 per day (24 hours).

The annual membership fee for anyone affiliated with WVU is only $35 and applicants receive $35 worth of free driving credit applied towards their first month of driving. The annual membership fee is waived for resident advisors, orientation leaders and WVU departments for business driving. Former WeCar members will receive a free one year membership when transitioning to Zipcar.  Students, faculty and staff can join at www.zipcar.com/wvu.  

"We are excited to provide our community with a car-sharing service that is significantly lower in price than our previous offering," said Hugh Kierig, Director of Transportation and Parking at WVU. "Zipcar will allow WVU members to run errands, attend meetings, or get away for the weekend, without the hassle of owning a car and while helping us reduce our carbon footprint by lowering the need for personal cars on campus."

All five cars are conveniently located in Morgantown, WV.  Zipcar even offers a fun and functional iPhone app that will honk the horn to locate a Zipcar and unlock the doors for members.

"We are confident that WVU will see the same benefits of convenience and cost-savings that many universities across North America and the UK have already experienced," said Matthew Malloy, Vice President of Global University Operations at Zipcar. "In addition, since individuals will no longer have to bring their cars to campus to get around, Zipcar will not only help students and parents save money, but also help the University ease congestion and parking demands."

Zipcar has established partnerships with more than 200 universities, including University of Virginia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Miami and Wake Forest. Zipcar utilizes a network of local vendors to service and clean its fleet.  

For more information, including how to enroll in Zipcar at West Virginia University, please visit http://www.zipcar.com/wvu.

About Zipcar

Zipcar operates 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.

About West Virginia University

West Virginia University, founded in 1867, is located in Morgantown, West Virginia, a city of nearly 28,000 residents near West Virginia's northern border. Through 13 colleges and schools, WVU offers 188 bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and professional degree programs.

The University's student-centered approach to learning is giving students one of the top undergraduate experiences in the country. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has ranked WVU as a Research University (High Research Activity). As West Virginia's major research and development center and only comprehensive doctoral-granting institution, WVU faculty conducted over $141 million in annual sponsored contracts and grants.

WVU is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and dozens of specialized academic accrediting agencies. The University's total operating budget is approximately $749 million. Located in "Mountaineer Country," Morgantown is a recreational haven year-round. In fact, West Virginia's fifth largest city was recently rated the No. 1 Small City in America, the Best Small City in the East, and the "3rd Best Small Town in America."

http://wvutoday.wvu.edu

Zipcar and the Zipcar logo are trademarks of Zipcar, Inc. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

SOURCE Zipcar