The University of Notre Dame is launching a new partnership with Zipcar Inc., providing the campus with access to the world’s leading car-sharing service. The option of renting a high-efficiency, low-cost and convenient Zipcar encourages students on campuses across the country to leave their cars at home during the school year.
Zipcars are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students, faculty and staff members, ages 18 and older. 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 Notre Dame vehicles start as low as $8 per hour and $66 per day (24 hours).
The annual membership fee for anyone affiliated with Notre Dame is $35 and applicants receive $35 worth of free driving credit applied toward their first month of driving. The annual membership fee is waived for department accounts and residence hall staff. Notre Dame students, faculty and staff can join at zipcar.com/notredame.
“Students wanted a car-sharing service that helps to eliminate the need for them to bring their own cars to campus,” said Erin Hafner, programs manager for the Office of Sustainability. “Zipcar provides not only students, but the entire Notre Dame community, with a greater freedom to run errands, attend meetings, or get away for the weekend, without the hassle of owning a car.”
All four cars are conveniently located in the old Juniper Road parking lot between the B16 and D2 lots. Zipcar also offers a fun and functional iPhone app that will honk the horn to locate a Zipcar and unlock the doors for members.
“We’ve seen countless universities across North America and the U.K. benefit from our car sharing service. In addition to helping students and their parents save money by not having a car on campus, Zipcar is also helping Notre Dame to reduce its carbon footprint,” said Matthew Malloy, vice president of global university operations at Zipcar. “On average each vehicle in our car-sharing service takes 15 to 20 privately owned vehicles off the road.”
Zipcar has established partnerships with more than 200 universities, including Indiana University, Yale, University of Virginia and Georgetown. Zipcar utilizes a network of local vendors to service and clean its fleet.
Contact: Erin Hafner, ehafner@nd.edu, 574-631-4708