Zipcar

Story by Jazmin Weaver
Photos by Bernie LaFramboise

There are a variety of reasons not to have a car of your own, whether it’s an environmental concern, the cost of insurance or a lack of parking space, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t be just as itinerant. In a world where urban mobility is a type of freedom, things justgot a little easier for members of the Ferndale community this year. Zipcar, the quickly growing car-sharing program made its way to our city back in April.

For those unfamiliar with the program, Zipcar provides the service and convenience of having a car on demand. Their purpose is to be a hassle free-version of renting that is also more cost effective than car ownership. Zipcar offers flexible options of renting a vehicle by the hour or by the day, for a period of up to seven days. To become involved in this rental program, all you have to do is become a member, also known as a Zipster. There is a one-time $25 application fee that covers the cost of a driving record check. There are special membership deals for students and businesses who choose to become involved.

Membership offers access to the Ferndale fleet of vehicles as well as any of the other locations around the nation. The yearly fees are low and there is no monthly commitment. The rates vary by vehicle. Zipcar differs from other types of car rental in that the driving rate includes insurance, gas, and 180 miles of daily mileage. A gas card is tucked away inside the vehicle in case you need to fill it up before returning it.

Zipcar is one of the quickest ways to rent a car. Applying is simple and can be done online, over the phone or on the Zipcar app. Upon acceptance, all members are mailed a Zipcard. The Zipcard is a key, literally; by tapping it on the card reader located on windshield of the car, it unlocks. The actual key is tethered to the steering column and never needs to leave the car. The return is just a matter of parking the vehicle in its reserved spot so that it’s ready for the next customer.

Unlike other rental services, there are no hours of operation. That means that the cars are available for use 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The mobile app can be used for everything, from joining, to reserving a driving time slot, to locking and unlocking the doors of the vehicle. Reservations can be made months, or even minutes, in advance, allowing Zipcar to easily sync with your schedule.

The company was founded in 2000 and has been growing ever since. It became established in Detroit in 2013, where the size of the starting fleet has nearly doubled in size during the last three years. The car-sharing program was approved by the Ferndale City Council in February, after evidence of its success was noted from its growing popularity in Detroit.

Currently the Ferndale fleet is composed of a single car and there are plans to add a second car for the West Side. The car has a designated parking spot near Woodward and 9 Mile Road in order to be accessible.

Zipcar is just the beginning of increasing mobility options for our community and the metro-Detroit area if the program proves to be a local success. More information and answers to frequently asked questions can be found at www.zipcar.com/cityofferndale.