Sometimes she just wants to get out. UNH Junior Kristin Wallace doesn’t own her own car and likes the idea of not having to wait for the bus if she wants to go somewhere on the weekend. Her solution: Zipcar.
Zipcar is a car sharing program where UNH students, faculty, and staff can get 24/7 access to Zipcars parked right on campus with a membership for only $35 per year. Even Durham community members can apply for $50 per year with a $25 application fee. The membership comes with $35 in free driving to use in the first month and then it costs $8 per hour on a weekday and $9 per hour on a weekend day after that. Gas, insurance, and mileage are included.
Zipcars can be found at three locations on campus. There is one vehicle in the Lower Quad, two at Thompson Hall, and two at the Transit Center at the Rail Station.
This Thursday and Friday on Oct. 22 and 23 UNH will hold the Zipcar launch event on the walkway between Hoco and Hamilton Smith were Zipcar representatives will be available to answer questions and help with membership applications.
“It would be good for weekends because sometimes I just want to get out,” said Wallace.
Wallace isn’t the only student who sees relevance in the Zipcar. UNH freshman Lauren Banker, who is a member of Peace and Justice League, is trying to get a speaker to come in April and instead of trying to find a car to use, she could use a Zipcar.
“I could just jump into a Zipcar and that way it’s efficient,” said Banker.
Banker also said that the Zipcar is especially good for college students because “you don’t need a car all the time, but it would be easy to go places you want to go.”
Banker also said that instead of dealing with the limits on time and distance that come with bus use, students could use a Zipcar.
“I have a feeling they are going to be used a lot,” said Banker.
Bekah Hawley, UNH sophomore, also commented on the bus system versus the Zipcar.
“I think [the Zipcar] is a good idea because it is a lot faster than taking the bus, especially when there are holidays and weekends,” said Hawley.
“Going to Dover doesn’t seem like it should be an impossible feat, but sometimes just waiting for the bus seems like it,” said Hawley.
So how do you become a member? According to the Zipcar website, you only need to be 18 plus to join. Members age 18-20 use cars allotted to campus, but members age 21 plus also have access to thousands of Zipcars all around the world. Applications can be done online where your driving records are taken into consideration and then if you are approved, you have a Zipcard sent to you.
After becoming a member, there are three more steps after registering: reserve, unlock, and drive. When you want to reserve a car (you can choose from a variety of cars such as BMW’s, hybrids, MINI’s, and more) just call or go online. When you pick up the car at the reserved location, just hold the Zipcard to the windshield, it will unlock, and the keys will be inside. After driving, the car just needs to be returned to the same parking spot.
Since gas is covered in the hourly rate, the driver just needs to fill the tank using the fuel card inside the car when it gets to 1/4 full before bringing it back. As for the mileage while you’re out, reservations include 180 free miles per day. Mileage above and beyond the 180 free miles is charged at $0.45 per mile for most cars ($0.55 for premium vehicles like the BMW). For reservations that exceed 24 hours, you get 20 miles for each additional hour up to a maximum of 180 miles per day.
When asked if she would consider spending the money on a membership, sophomore Clountte Arthur said she would.
“I’m from Boston so I need a car to travel to go home and as of right now I can’t go home because Amtrak is $18,” said Arthur.
She also said she’d rather take Zipcar than the bus so that she could bring more things with her.
Even though junior Samantha Fortier would like not having to worry about driving her own car with the availability of Zipcar, she questioned the specifics of Zipcar’s insurance coverage when it comes to damages and responsibility.
According to the Zipcar website, the insurance coverage for Zipcar members 21 years of age or older consists of a combined single limit of $300,000 per accident, meaning that all third party bodily injuries, or property damage costs relating to the accident covered in the aggregate up to $300,000. For drivers under 21, the coverage provides up to state-mandated levels, which vary by the state in which the accident occurs. Zipcars are covered under a vehicle collision policy.
Coordinator of Commuter Student Services Brett Gagnon has a positive outlook on the Zipcar’s effect on students.
Gagnon and Commuter Student Services worked with Campus Planning, Transportation Services, and the Offices of Sustainability to implement the availability of Zipcars at UNH.
“We thought it was a good fit to UNH to have another transportation option,” said Gagnon.
Gagnon also said that as students learn more, available transportation options will help to relieve uneasiness. Also, Gagnon said that not having financial pressures (monthly payments for a car) on top of the pressures of doing well in school would be helpful.
“I’m hoping that students will really take advantage of it,” said Gagnon.
Also, according to the Zipcar website, each and every Zipcar takes 15-20 personally-owned vehicles off the road. With this number multiplied by the more than the 6,500 cars that Zipcar owns, the company hopes to save energy.
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