Comments on: New Zipcar office and city partnership are big steps in company’s effort to expand http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/ Transit in the Greater Seattle Area Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:33:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jean http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-31408 Jean Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:43:48 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-31408 I was a devoted Flexcar member, but there is a big 'ol world of difference between Flexcar and Zipcar. As a matter of fact, I canceled my membership a few months ago. I only use a car occasionally, and it was no longer cost effective to have to pay $50 a year for a membership fee in addition to the hourly rate. They've added a lot of other fees and penalties as well, and the customer service was awful. It took over a month to convert my membership initially because not only were the representatives rude, they were clueless. Then they yanked most of the cars out of West Seattle, so I would now have to take 2 buses to get to a car. Why bother? I agree completely with Transit Voter; I want Flexcar back.
I was a devoted Flexcar member, but there is a big ‘ol world of difference between Flexcar and Zipcar. As a matter of fact, I canceled my membership a few months ago. I only use a car occasionally, and it was no longer cost effective to have to pay $50 a year for a membership fee in addition to the hourly rate. They’ve added a lot of other fees and penalties as well, and the customer service was awful. It took over a month to convert my membership initially because not only were the representatives rude, they were clueless. Then they yanked most of the cars out of West Seattle, so I would now have to take 2 buses to get to a car. Why bother? I agree completely with Transit Voter; I want Flexcar back.

]]> By: Al http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-29049 Al Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:27:25 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-29049 http://www.zipcar.com/seattle/find-cars I was considering joining zipcar last year until they yanked out a bunch of them from West Seattle. Once was at the Morgan St. Thriftway, walking distance from my house. Now I would have to take a bus to get to either car; only one at the central West Seattle location and one in White Center. Look at the number available downtown and north! Perhaps our use of the cars would increase if the cars were available and convenient to use. The former Flexcar at the Thriftway was consistently used. Around the time Flexcars were removed from West Seattle, the U-Haul added a line of per hour rental vehicles. Maybe this is the answer? Anyone used U-Haul hourly rentals? I don't think they are hybrid vehicles.
http://www.zipcar.com/seattle/find-cars

I was considering joining zipcar last year until they yanked out a bunch of them from West Seattle. Once was at the Morgan St. Thriftway, walking distance from my house. Now I would have to take a bus to get to either car; only one at the central West Seattle location and one in White Center. Look at the number available downtown and north! Perhaps our use of the cars would increase if the cars were available and convenient to use. The former Flexcar at the Thriftway was consistently used.

Around the time Flexcars were removed from West Seattle, the U-Haul added a line of per hour rental vehicles. Maybe this is the answer? Anyone used U-Haul hourly rentals? I don’t think they are hybrid vehicles.

]]> By: eldan http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28966 eldan Tue, 10 Feb 2009 06:58:51 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28966 Me too, and it works beautifully, but a lot of people won't. Giving them the zipcar option will encourage them to use transit for the longer part of the trip, and make owning a car feel much less necessary - everyone wins.
Me too, and it works beautifully, but a lot of people won’t. Giving them the zipcar option will encourage them to use transit for the longer part of the trip, and make owning a car feel much less necessary – everyone wins.

]]> By: Nathan http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28949 Nathan Tue, 10 Feb 2009 03:18:44 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28949 "Just past walking distance" I combat this problem via bicycle.
“Just past walking distance”

I combat this problem via bicycle.

]]> By: Kaleci http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28942 Kaleci Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:57:32 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28942 So no chance they'll put one in at Columbia Station? There are no car rental places open when the Amtrak pulls in at 8:30.
So no chance they’ll put one in at Columbia Station? There are no car rental places open when the Amtrak pulls in at 8:30.

]]> By: Rob http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28936 Rob Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:10:42 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28936 I agree, TransitVoter. I moved here after being a regular ZipCar user in Chicago. I like ZipCar... Their implementation of technology makes for extremely elegant end-user experience. I was excited about the Beacon Hill ZipCar location at the Red Apple and was considering ramping my subscription back up to a monthly plan what with the easy availability of a local car. Now the closest nearest location ("just down the street" according to the ZipCar email) is an additional 1.6 miles (or a 26 minute walk) away. While that certainly sucks bigtime, it made my decision quite a bit easier and means $50 or $75 a month that I won't be spending on ZipCar. Something neat I just saw during a trip back to Chicago this weekend is that I-GO (a Chicago-based, non-profit version of ZipCar) allows riders to use a single prox-card to access both I-GO cars and CTA. Maybe a similar combination would be possible with ZipCar and ORCA cards? http://www.igocars.org/chicago_card_plus
I agree, TransitVoter. I moved here after being a regular ZipCar user in Chicago. I like ZipCar… Their implementation of technology makes for extremely elegant end-user experience. I was excited about the Beacon Hill ZipCar location at the Red Apple and was considering ramping my subscription back up to a monthly plan what with the easy availability of a local car. Now the closest nearest location (“just down the street” according to the ZipCar email) is an additional 1.6 miles (or a 26 minute walk) away.

While that certainly sucks bigtime, it made my decision quite a bit easier and means $50 or $75 a month that I won’t be spending on ZipCar.

Something neat I just saw during a trip back to Chicago this weekend is that I-GO (a Chicago-based, non-profit version of ZipCar) allows riders to use a single prox-card to access both I-GO cars and CTA. Maybe a similar combination would be possible with ZipCar and ORCA cards?

http://www.igocars.org/chicago_card_plus

]]> By: litlnemo http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28932 litlnemo Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:02:09 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28932 They *just* removed the Beacon Hill Zipcar, too. Their timing is questionable.
They *just* removed the Beacon Hill Zipcar, too. Their timing is questionable.

]]> By: Andrew http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28928 Andrew Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:45:54 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28928 I always use my credit car coverage, but I've never been in an accident in a rental, so I've always wonder how it'd work.
I always use my credit car coverage, but I’ve never been in an accident in a rental, so I’ve always wonder how it’d work.

]]> By: joshuadf http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28923 joshuadf Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:18:13 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28923 I've been a FlexCar/Zipcar user for about 4 years now and have no big complaints. I agree that's it requires a critical mass of cars, but we've got a lot of cars to choose from in the U-District. There's pretty much always something available, even if I have to walk a few blocks farther than I wanted to (happens especially on weekend evenings). Zipcar's website reservation system is much much better than Flexcar's was, and the phone reservations are easy enough. I will say that if we want a car for more than a couple days (for example, spending a week at the coast last summer) a traditional car rental is much cheaper, even though I have to pay for the supplemental liability insurance. I get collision coverage from my credit card, and <a href="http://joshuadf.blogspot.com/2008/09/rental-car-insurance-update-couple.html" rel="nofollow">I even had to use it once after a damaged wheel</a> (not pretty but I did eventually get paid).
I’ve been a FlexCar/Zipcar user for about 4 years now and have no big complaints. I agree that’s it requires a critical mass of cars, but we’ve got a lot of cars to choose from in the U-District. There’s pretty much always something available, even if I have to walk a few blocks farther than I wanted to (happens especially on weekend evenings). Zipcar’s website reservation system is much much better than Flexcar’s was, and the phone reservations are easy enough.

I will say that if we want a car for more than a couple days (for example, spending a week at the coast last summer) a traditional car rental is much cheaper, even though I have to pay for the supplemental liability insurance. I get collision coverage from my credit card, and I even had to use it once after a damaged wheel (not pretty but I did eventually get paid).

]]> By: Transit Voter http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28917 Transit Voter Mon, 09 Feb 2009 23:12:34 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28917 To the dismay of those of us on Beacon Hill, Zip took out the car that used to live right across the street from the Beacon Hill light rail station! Their new business model is apparently to serve only those areas that are already high density (downtown, Capitol Hill, and a few others) and ignore the rest of Seattle. SE Seattle is down to just one (1) car, in spite of light rail service beginning in just 5 months! Wish we had FlexCar back.
To the dismay of those of us on Beacon Hill, Zip took out the car that used to live right across the street from the Beacon Hill light rail station!

Their new business model is apparently to serve only those areas that are already high density (downtown, Capitol Hill, and a few others) and ignore the rest of Seattle. SE Seattle is down to just one (1) car, in spite of light rail service beginning in just 5 months!

Wish we had FlexCar back.

]]> By: mike87 http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28912 mike87 Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:25:21 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28912 There really should be zip cars at all link stations. That way anybody can get off the train and get to those places that are just past walking distance.
There really should be zip cars at all link stations. That way anybody can get off the train and get to those places that are just past walking distance.

]]> By: Andrew Smith http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28909 Andrew Smith Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:07:47 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28909 It's crazy to think that one zipcar can replace 20 cars, but I guess it makes sense: most cars at any given time are just taking up space while parked. Zipcar does a great job of making the hassle of using their system less than the hassle of owning a car.
It’s crazy to think that one zipcar can replace 20 cars, but I guess it makes sense: most cars at any given time are just taking up space while parked. Zipcar does a great job of making the hassle of using their system less than the hassle of owning a car.

]]> By: max http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/02/09/new-zipcar-office-and-city-partnership-are-big-steps-in-companys-effort-to-expand/#comment-28906 max Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:48:25 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=2669#comment-28906 Great report! I haven't used Zipcar yet, but some friends use it and love it.
Great report! I haven’t used Zipcar yet, but some friends use it and love it.

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