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One of the Zipcars available on the U of I campus. Photo by Brad Thorp

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Cost: $8 per hour, $66 per day
Car Locations: The intersection of Wright Street and Daniel Street, downtown Champaign and downtown Urbana
Register: at http://www.zipcar.com

Zipcar, the world’s largest car-sharing company, hit Champaign-Urbana last January. Now, Zipcar continues to make strides in the CU community, offering an alternative mode of transportation to faculty, students and community members alike.

Partnered with the University of Illinois, the Champaign Urbana Mass Transit District (CUMTD) and the cities of Champaign and Urbana, Zipcar works to provide a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to get around the city. The cars are located both on and off campus, with locations at the intersection of Wright Street and Daniel Street, downtown Champaign and downtown Urbana. A Zipcar membership costs $50 annually ($35 for students) with a one-time $25 application fee, and is open to all University faculty, staff and students over the age of 18 and all Champaign-Urbana residents over the age of 21. Zipcar members can rent the cars hourly, for a fee of $8 an hour or daily, from $66 and up. The rates include gas, insurance and reserved parking at any of the Zipcar sites.

Jay Rank, a planner at the CUMTD who has worked extensively on the Zipcar project, explained that a lot of the business that Zipcar receives stems from the campus community. “I think a lot of them [Zipcar users] are students,” said Rank. “Especially international students who might not have access to a car otherwise.”

Though Champaign-Urbana already boasts a well-established mass-transit system, Zipcar offers a more personalized form of transportation. Students can use the cars to run errands or even just get off campus for a while at their own convenience.

Though Zipcar got its start in large cities like Chicago, New York and L.A., the company has recently made a push to expand itself to college campuses nationwide, and has done so with favorable results. Since Zipcar began in Champaign-Urbana, about 200 people have signed up to be members. “Some people don’t have cars or don’t have access to cars or don’t want a car,” explained Rank. Rank noted that the student population and zipcars make a good match.

“Here is an excellent example of a lot of students not having cars and needing a car at various times,” said Rank.

Some students even recognize

Zipcar as an innovative solution to pollution, congestion and high costs — all problems posed by car ownership. Take Tanner McGrath, for example. A senior Engineering major, McGrath made a proposal for zipcars at an international case competition in Soeul, Korea. “The idea was to improve Soeul’s climate problems. It’s a very crowded, dense city and they have a lot of pollution,” said McGrath. McGrath saw Zipcar as a solution to sky-high parking prices and overwhelming pollution.

The University of Illinois could also stand to benefit both economically and environmentally from Zipcar. As U of I strives to find more sustainable methods to operate such a large university, Rank, the CUMTD planner, said Zipcar may be part of the solution. “People that use zipcars drive less,” said Rank. “It’s not as easy as just pulling out of our driveway and going. You have to think about how you want to use your car.” Rank said this increased consciousness about driving translates into reduced congestion and carbon emissions.

But Zipcar offers more immediate benefits for campustown, namely more available parking and a safer area for the many bikers and pedestrians. In addition, cash-strapped students may also find the option appealing as Zipcar claims that members save an average of $500 a month in comparison to car-ownership. Using Zipcar also eliminates costs of car-ownership like gas, parking and insurance, not to mention the cost of the vehicle itself. As Zipcar becomes more popular, students might begin to view it as a more cost-effective way to get around.

But there are still some hesitations about Zipcar on campus. “It’s too far removed from people,” said McGrath, voicing his doubts that students may not see Zipcars as a viable transportation option. “It’s not as convenient as it should be yet.”

Some students may see having to walk to and from the Zipcar as a potential deterrent, but McGrath is hopeful that Zipcar would become more successful as the service is honed. “I think it’ll take off,” he said.

Whatever its faults, Zipcar offers U of I a service that is bound to become more and more valuable: a more sustainable mode of transportation at a decent price that Rank believes will help CU residents move around town with ease.

“It’s just another option for mobility.”