Zipcar

Zipcar is a fairly new and growing organization. It began in some of the larger U.S. cities and has expanded into a few of the larger Canadian cities (Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver). The concept is, shared use of automobiles. You pay a membership and purchase a plan according to your anticipated use. Each member has a card which will unlock the car and allow it to start. The user schedules the time they will be using it, online and then goes to where the car is parked at the appointed time. The member has the use of an automobile for when they need it but not the other relevant costs such as insurance, payments and maintenance costs. It is less expensive than renting would be and more convenient. There are a number of ecological benefits to this arrangement. Having a vehicle for when it is really necessary eliminates the need for ownership which probably would lead to more frequent use. The occasional user will probably use public transit or bicycles the rest of the time. The more this concept becomes popular there will be a reduction to the number of vehicles on the roads and thus less pollution. The organization anticipates Zipcars will be abailable in most larger cities.