10:19 a.m., Sept. 22, 2010----Today the University of Delaware is launching a new partnership with Zipcar Inc., to provide the campus with access to the world's leading car-sharing service. The cost-effective and convenient transportation option is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students, faculty, and staff members, ages 18 and older.

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Zipcar is an environmentally friendly transportation alternative that takes 15 to 20 privately owned vehicles off the road.

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 University of Delaware vehicles start as low as $8 per hour and $66 per day (24 hours).

The annual membership fee for anyone affiliated with the University of Delaware is only $35 and applicants receive $35 worth of free driving credit that applies towards their first month of driving. University of Delaware students, faculty and staff can join at Zipcar's UD website.

The new program aims to reduce parking demand by offering convenient, cost effective and environmentally friendly options to owning a car.

“Our goal is to make getting around campus accessible and sustainable. Zipcar supports our efforts to reduce frustration, congestion and pollution,” said William Fitzpatrick, director of supporting services at the University of Delaware. “We look forward to having them as a part of our campus community.”

Cars are self-service and can easily be reserved and accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. University of Delaware Zipcars will be located in convenient spaces in high demand areas. Four vehicles, two Toyota Priuses and two Scion xBs, will be located at Lot 34 Morris Library and Lot 9-2 Thomas McKean Hall. Zipcar even offers a fun and functional iPhone app that will honk the horn to locate a Zipcar and unlock the doors for members.

“Zipcar will give students who don't have access to a car the freedom and flexibility to participate in off-campus activities like internships and job interviews,” said Matthew Malloy, vice president of Global University Operations at Zipcar. “At the same time, students and faculty members alike can be proud that they are reducing their environmental impact by lowering their carbon footprint and using alternative transportation methods like car-sharing.”

“For many students, shopping and running errands outside of Main Street is problematic. With Zipcar, for a reasonable cost, students can have a car whenever they need one,” said Tara Falcone, president of the Graduate Student Senate.

“This is great. As an international student I do not own a car, so Zipcar will make student life a lot easier. We all are equally responsible for our environment. I applaud UD for taking this step in absolutely the right direction,” commented Sandeep Rath, an international graduate student and president of the MBA Student Council.

Zipcar has established partnerships with more than 200 universities, including Yale, Notre Dame, University of Virginia and Georgetown. Zipcar utilizes a network of local vendors to service and clean its fleet.

For more information, including how to enroll in Zipcar at the University of Delaware, visit the website.

About Zipcar

Zipcar operates in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for an alternative to the high costs and hassles of owning a car.

About the University of Delaware

The University of Delaware has a great tradition of excellence, from our founding as a small private academy in 1743, to the research-intensive, technologically advanced institution of today. The University received its charter from the state of Delaware in 1833 and was designated one of the nation's historic Land Grant colleges in 1867. Today, UD is a Land Grant, Sea Grant and Space Grant institution. UD also is classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as a research university with very high research activity--a designation accorded to less than three percent of U.S. colleges and universities.

Photo by Duane Perry