Zipcar finally made it to Houston in March and offers a new alternative form of transportation; car-sharing. Very similar to a rental car, Zipcars are designed for those who don’t own or need a car on a regular basis. Zipcar requires membership and the vehicles can be rented hourly or by the day. Reserve the car online or via mobile app and your membership card becomes the car’s key. No going to an office or waiting in line at a rental counter. You can also use Zipcars in other cities for quick meetings from the airport where a full-day car rental just doesn’t make sense.
There are currently six locations in downtown Houston; Theater District, Green Street, One City Centre, Allen Center, Jefferson and near Discovery Green. There are also locations at Hobby Airport, Greenway Plaza, Midtown and Rice University.
Memberships start at $6/month and cars are as cheap as $8/hour. This cost includes gas and insurance up to 180 miles, so no add-ons and no need to refill the tank. Each of the cars has a name, from “Diedre” the Prius to “Hermann” the Nissan Pickup to “Montalbo” the Mustang.
Zipcar claims that each Zipcar takes 15 vehicles off the road. They also claim that the average user saves $500/month versus owning a vehicle. Zipcar estimates that eventually 10% of people will opt for car-sharing. Imagine how far fewer parking spots would be needed.
Zip Car website is: http://www.zipcar.com/?redirect_p=0