Why I Love My Zipcar(s)

by Dan Bancroft

Boston June 16, 2010; I’m the kind of guy who thinks the neighborhood should share the daily newspaper, so you can imagine when Zipcar hit the streets of Boston, I was psyched.

One-stop car sharing with no confusing menus. You become a member (for a small fee), then go online to reserve the car you want, when and where you want it. You pay for the time you use it. They pay for the gas, insurance, and upkeep.

Of course, there were glitches. Like the time I cut it a wee bit too close and was late (heavy traffic - really) and absorbed a $50 fine. Mind you, the fine was explained in a socially acceptable way - not the usual corporate heavy handedness - not just because they could, but because I’d inconvenienced the next Zipcar user - let him or her down.

In the same way, there’s a rule that you clean up after yourself and not leave the gas tank less than 1/4 full. Seems reasonable, doesn’t it?

Zipcar listens - how cool is that? I was probably not the only user who got a ticket for blowing through the EasyPass/ Fastlane at the tollbooth because I forgot this was not my (wife’s) car, with a transponder mounted on the windshield. They received the ticket and sent it my way. I explained (assuming they were interested and listening) why it happened and they waived the penalty and then, lo and behold, within six months those little transponders starting appearing on the windshields of my Zipcars!

What have they done for me lately? Well, there IS that cute little MP3 adaptor that fits into my Blackberry so I can listen to my own music in the car. How disappointing when I recently found myself in a rental vehicle and had to pay tolls AND constantly search for a radio station! And the Mini convertible I was zipping in on my birthday.

My suggestion is that if you don’t already have a Zipcar in your neighborhood (or on your college campus), you email the Zipcar folks to let them know that you and about a hundred of your friends are ready to sign up. Believe me, they pay attention. And then maybe we’ll see if they want to branch out into exotics....

So the next time you take your Aunt Florence out for a spin, make it in a Zipcar. There are only about a 1000 located in your neighborhood (and if not just let ZipCar know).

Author Dan Bancroft is a lawyer and a published playwright, zipping (for the most part) in Massachusetts.