New program provides a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to car ownership on campus

Kent State University will launch a new partnership on
Jan. 15 with Zipcar, Inc., the world’s leading car-sharing
network, to offer a Zipcar car-sharing program on its Kent
Campus.

On Jan. 15, Kent State University launches a new partnership with Zipcar, Inc., the world’s leading car-sharing network, to offer a Zipcar car-sharing program on its Kent Campus. The convenient transportation option is now available at an affordable rate 24 hours a day, seven days a week for students, faculty and staff ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community ages 21 and over.

Kent State will initially offer four vehicles – two Ford Focus 2014 vehicles – one of which will be called “Flashes” in honor of the university’s athletic team name – along with a Toyota Prius and a Kia Soul. The vehicles will be located on campus in the R-3 Baumgardner Circle parking lot, which is behind the Terrace Hall Annex, and the R-6 Fletcher Hall parking lot. Zipcars are available on-demand and can be easily reserved and accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A Zipcar representative will be on campus Jan. 15 and 16 on the second floor of the Kent Student Center from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. to help introduce the new service and answer questions.

This year, Kent State members can join for $25, with rates for Zipcar vehicles on campus starting as low as $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. After the first year, members will pay an annual membership fee of $35. Gas, insurance, a reserved parking spot and up to 180 miles of driving per day are included in Zipcar rates, and cars can be reserved for as little as an hour or for multiple days. Kent State students, faculty and staff can join Zipcar at www.zipcar.com/kent.

“Bringing Zipcar to campus is about providing transportation options to students,” says Melanie Knowles, sustainability manager at Kent State. “We work to make the campus more walkable and bikeable, provide free PARTA (Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority) bus service and free bike sharing. Car sharing is another piece of the puzzle, and it may allow some students to avoid bringing a car to campus.”

Participating members with smartphones, including iPhones and Android devices, may download the Zipcar mobile application to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles and honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations also can be made over the phone or on Zipcar’s website.

“Zipcar will give the Kent State community the freedom and flexibility to attend job interviews and participate in off-campus activities like internships without the hassle of owning a car,” says Katelyn Lopresti, general manager for Zipcar University. “At the same time, students, faculty and staff members alike can be proud that they are reducing the carbon footprint of their campus by using alternative transportation methods like car sharing.”

With the new Zipcar program available on campus, student organizations at Kent State also now have the opportunity to participate in the “Students with Drive” grant program sponsored by Zipcar and Ford Motor Company, which provides students with Zipcar membership and driving credit to support student organizations on campus.

Through the “Students with Drive” grant program, Ford and Zipcar will provide $300,000 in grants to be awarded to student organizations at eligible Zipcar colleges and universities. The program is running now through April 2014 and will culminate with one student organization being awarded a grand prize of $5,000 in Zipcar driving credit, $10,000 in cash for the student organization to put toward its cause and $10,000 in cash to be awarded to the student organization’s school. For more information and to participate in the program, students can visit the “Students with Drive” tab on Zipcar’s University Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ZipcarU.

Zipcar has established relationships with more than 300 universities across North America. For more information and how to become a member of Zipcar at Kent State, please visit www.zipcar.com/kent. Additional information and promotions can also being found by following @ZipcarU on Twitter.

To learn more about sustainability initiatives at Kent State, visit www.kent.edu/sustainability.

Zipcar, the world’s leading car-sharing network, has operations in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain and Austria. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for smart, simple and convenient solutions to their urban and campus transportation needs. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a global leader in car-sharing and vehicle rental services. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.