With the announcement in the news of yet another college campus — University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth — partnering with Zipcar, it seems like school systems are increasingly blending the popular service into their transit systems. We asked university transit operators about their Zipcar services and transit systems and how they have integrated them.
Here are their responses:
“The University of Texas partnered with Zipcar last Spring semester. We have not measured transit ridership and Zipcar usage, [but] all of our Zipcar locations are within walking distance of major transit stops on campus.”
Blanca Juarez, alternative transportation manager, parking and transportation services The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas
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“Carnegie Mellon has been in partnership with Zipcar since August, 2007. Our fleet went from two to four cars in just a few years, and we are currently in talks with Zipcar to add additional vehicles. The partnership with Zipcar has not impacted ridership on our shuttle system. Our shuttle system is vastly used by our student body. Zipcar’s presence adds another transportation option for our community. Carnegie Mellon University has also been in partnership with Pittsburgh’s local transit, Port Authority, since 2008.”
“The University of Michigan (U-M) began its agreement with Zipcar in November, 2006. The car-sharing program started with six cars in three locations [and grew]to now 18 cars in eight locations. Our U-M Zipcar members number approximately 3,000. That equates to approximately 167 members per Zipcar. All of our Zipcar locations on campus are within a short walk of our main transit route. So, the members can get to their reserved Zipcar with minimal travel. In addition, if the car a member wants is not available, he [or] she can take a bus to another location which has an available car.”
Grant Winston, associate director, customer service in parking & transportation services University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Mich.
“WSU partnered with Zipcar in August 2011. We currently have a three-vehicle fleet with a 45% utilization rate. There have been no correlated impacts on transit ridership. Zipcars serve as an additional mobility option versus one that is incorporated as a segment of a multi-modal trip.”
Darin Watkins, executive director of external communications Washington State University Pullman, Wash.
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