Zipcars are located in the parking lot by Binkley Garage. (Sidney Hollingsworth/The Daily Campus)

For students tired of relying on bus schedules and friends for rides, there is finally a solution. Zipcar, a car rental service for ages 18 and up, has teamed up with universities across the nation to assist students with their transportation needs.
Zipcar’s extensive network of cars spreads across 150 cities and over 260 university campuses across the nation.

And now, this easy to use car-sharing service is available at Southern Methodist University.

Along with its yearly rate of $35/year, Zipcar has hourly and daily rates for shorter rental periods. Students over 18 can partake in all of these rental deals, but not without some regulation.

“From ages 18-20, college students with less than two tickets on their driving record, are invited to join Zipcar,” Austin Marshburn, Zipcar senior manager for university marketing, said.

“Once an individual turns 21, they are offered access anywhere that Zipcar is offered.”

As the price of campus parking permits increase, eliminating this cost was a major bonus for SMU freshman Aubrey Richardson.

“When the parking permits are almost $300 and after $60 in gas, I didn’t want to deal with parking my big SUV,” Richardson said.

Cost effectiveness isn’t the only cool feature of this car-sharing service.

Each Zipcar is touch and go with the keys already in the car. Members simply reserve their vehicle and unlock it with his or her membership card or mobile app. SMU’s Zipcar parking is designated next to the Binkley parking garage, making it simple to find your rental and eliminating the stress of finding a space upon return.

Besides encouraging car sharing, Zipcar also encourages leadership on campus. Leaders on campus receive special perks from the car service.

“Zipcar offers free first year membership to members holding a leadership position on campus,” Zipcar University Account Manager Hadley Quish said.

The Zipcar Facebook page also offers perks. An online program called “Students with Drive” welcomes students to post entertaining videos explaining why Zipcar access is needed on campus. Creative videos can receive grants towards free driving.

Students looking to escape the SMU bubble can inquire about car-sharing services through Park-n-Pony or at zipcar.com.