Leadership
We are pleased to present Zipcar in this edition of our Member Spotlight.
1. In a nutshell, what is Zipcar all about?
Zipcar is the world’s largest car sharing company, providing an alternative to car ownership by offering self-service, on-demand cars by the hour or day. As the creator of the car sharing industry in the U.S., Zipcar has made car sharing a mainstream amenity in more than 50 cities throughout North America and the UK, solving the significant parking, congestion and transportation issues that plague urban residents. In minutes or up to a year in advance, members can reserve Zipcars online or by phone, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
2. How was Zipcar founded and what inspired its creation?
In the fall of 1999, Zipcar’s founders developed the service based on a concept they had seen in Berlin. Cars were parked around the city for members to drive by the hour instead of owning their own vehicles. A new spin was put on the concept - outfitting the cars with wireless technology, creating a hassle-free reservation system and strategically placing the cars around key cities and neighborhoods. In June of 2000 the first Zipcars were on the road.
3. What makes Zipcar different than other companies in your Market space?
With Zipcar’s revolutionary technology, reserving, accessing and using a Zipcar is as easy as getting cash from an ATM. In minutes or up to a year in advance, members can reserve Zipcars online by phone or through a favorite web-enabled mobile device, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Zipcar members have automated access to Zipcars using a “Zipcard” to simply unlock the door and drive away.
4. What has been Zipcar's greatest accomplishment in 2008?
Zipcar has experienced record growth in 2008, with approximately 10,000 new members joining each month overall (triple the number joining last year). In Boston specifically, membership has grown 40% during the past year – with more than 140 vehicles added during the last three months. We estimate that every Zipcar vehicle represents approximately 15 -20 vehicles taken off the road – so with 800 vehicles in the Boston area – Zipcar has taken nearly 12,000 vehicles off the road in and around Boston. That means less congestion, fewer carbon emissions and less crowding in city parking areas.
5. What is Zipar’s Low Car Diet Challenge? And how did it work?
Zipcar recently challenged more than 300 participants throughout 12 North American cities to live without their personal vehicle for one month and rely on public transportation, biking, walking, and Zipcar. We called it the “The Low Car Diet” and had approximately 20 Boston-residents participate. A post-diet participant survey showed that living without a car had a positive impact on their wallets, their bodies and their communities.
Results also showed that:
o 45% of Boston participants stated that they plan to continue to live without a personally-owned car
o Another 45% are considering that same commitment
In addition, the diet encouraged participants to increase their use of other modes of transportation. For example Boston participants increased their:
o Miles walked by 78%
o Miles biked by more than 150%
o Public transit trips by 58%
These results clearly underscore the idea that more people are reconsidering their use of personal automobiles.
6. What is the biggest challenge you face in the marketplace today?
Getting people to rethink that car ownership is our ongoing goal. During 2008, we have made big strides and Zipcar has become a mainstream amenity for many local residents and businesses.
