ZipCar and the Parking Authority of Baltimore City will announce today the expansion of the car-sharing service to downtown neighborhoods. ZipCar is a membership-based car-sharing service with hubs across the country.
Baltimore's fleet will be expanding by 20 cars, and will include Toyota Prius hybrids, Tacoma pickup trucks and Smart Fortwos. The new cars will be placed in parking spots in the central business district, Mount Vernon, Station North, Harbor East and the West Side.
"With ZipCar and car-sharing, we are able to address two key priorities at once," said Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. "We offer our citizens a new way to save money without sacrificing mobility."
ZipCar offers an inexpensive alternative to owning a car in cities and college campuses where parking is a problem, like many areas of downtown Baltimore. ZipCar members pay a $25 application fee and a $50 yearly fee, in addition to a low hourly rate. Members do not pay for gas, insurance or their first 180 miles.
The "model partnership" between Baltimore and ZipCar benefits both, says Mark Norman of ZipCar. In most cities, ZipCar buys private parking for its fleet. In Baltimore, the city donated parking spaces.
"Baltimore was built before cars were as relied-upon as they are today," said Tiffany James, spokeswoman for the Parking Authority of Baltimore City. "We're hoping to relieve neighborhoods of cars."
In this partnership, the Parking Authority has dedicated 22 on-street parking spaces to ZipCar in a long-term effort to reduce parking problems, traffic congestion and car-related pollution.
"The traditional 'car-centric' design of cities is beginning to give way to a more 'people-centric' design, and ZipCar is a big part of that dynamic," said Norman. "It's a replacement to car ownership and a complement to public transportation systems. Our members report a 20 percent increase in public transportation use."
According to a study done by the Transportation Research Board, car-sharing services on average take up to 15 cars off the road and, according to a study done by ZipCar, that number could go as high as 20. Additionally, ZipCar has reported that 40 percent to 60 percent of their members have either sold a car or avoided buying one since becoming a member of ZipCar. The company also claims that members save $600 a month in car-related purchases.
"ZipCar is a smart choice for consumers looking for affordable alternatives to car ownership," said Norman. "It's a smart policy choice for governments dealing with the pressing issues of congestion, parking and their carbon footprint."