Saint Mary’s Offers Students Car-Sharing Option
Zipcar is Sustainable/Cost-Effective Alternative to Having Car on Campus
Media Contact:
Gwen O’Brien
Director of Media Relations
Saint Mary’s College
(574) 284-4579
October 8, 2014 (Notre Dame, Ind.) — Today, Saint Mary’s College launches a partnership with Zipcar, to offer a car-sharing network on campus. The convenient transportation option is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for students, faculty, and staff ages 18 and older. Students are expected to be the most frequent users. Once enrolled as Zipcar members, the Saint Mary’s community may also reserve Zipcars at the University of Notre Dame and, in turn, their community can use Saint Mary’s Zipcars.
The media is invited to stop by the Student Center today, Wednesday, between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. where a Zipcar will be on display outside and students, faculty, and staff will be signing up for the service. Registration will be outside, if weather permits, or inside the building if it rains.
There are two Zipcars on campus available for members to use.Students, like intended nursing major Kathryn Gessert ’17, are excited about the Zipcars. “I don’t go off-campus nearly enough to invest in my own car, and while riding the buses and my bike around the area are extremely low-cost, they require massive amounts of travel time. As a rising nursing student, I anticipate needing to commute to off-campus healthcare locations on a regular basis. Campus Zipcars are the perfect solution.”
Saint Mary’s College will initially offer two Ford Focus models. The Zipcars have designated parking spots located in the Regina Hall parking lot for convenient pick-up and return. The cars are available on-demand and can be easily reserved by the hour or by the day.
This year, Saint Mary’s College members can join for $25, with rates for Zipcar vehicles on campus starting as low as $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. After the first year, members will pay an annual membership fee of $35. Gas, insurance, and up to 180 miles of driving per day are included in Zipcar rates, and cars can be reserved for as little as an hour or for multiple days. Saint Mary’s College students, faculty and staff can join Zipcar at www.zipcar.com/saintmarys.
“Reducing the College’s carbon footprint is so important to Saint Mary’s that sustainability is part of the College’s strategic plan, Boldly Forward,” explained Karen Johnson, vice president of Student Affairs. “Offering Zipcars here is an example of an effort to reduce the number of student cars on campus while offering students the convenience and freedom of a car when they need it.”
Participating members with smartphones, including iPhones and Android devices, may download the Zipcar mobile application to make reservations, lock and unlock the vehicles and honk the horn to help locate the vehicle. Reservations can also be made over the phone or on Zipcar’s website.
“By bringing Zipcar to campus, Saint Mary’s College is offering a convenient alternative to bringing a car to school,” said Katelyn Lopresti, general manager for Zipcar University. “And since each car shared takes approximately 15 privately owned vehicles off the road, Zipcar will help reduce traffic congestion and demand for parking on campus; a win-win for the community.”
Zipcar has established relationships with more than 350 universities/colleges across North America.
About Saint Mary’s College: Saint Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Ind., is a four-year, Catholic, residential, women’s liberal arts college offering five bachelor’s degrees and more than 30 major areas of study, such as business, nursing, art, chemistry, and social work. The College’s single-gender environment has been proven, in study after study, to foster confidence, ethical leadership, and strong academic success. Saint Mary’s College ranks among the top 100 Best National Liberal Arts Colleges for 2015 published by U.S. News & World Report. Founded in 1844 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Saint Mary’s College’s mission is to educate women and prepare them for postgraduate success whether it’s a first job, graduate school, or postgraduate service.
About Zipcar: Zipcar, the world's leading car sharing network, has operations in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Austria and France. Zipcar offers more than 30 makes and models of self-service vehicles by the hour or day to residents and businesses looking for smart, simple and convenient solutions to their urban and campus transportation needs. Zipcar is a subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: CAR), a leading global provider of vehicle rental services. More information is available at www.zipcar.com.