Kit J. Nichols, Senior Policy Manager at Pioneer Institute on Business Innovations For City Living: Zipcar (PDF)
Perhaps you’ve seen them—hip new cars with the telltale green dot on the door, zipping around the Boston area. They are Honda Civics, Volkswagon Golfs and Passats, Mini Coopers, Ford Focus wagons, and for the environmentally savvy, the Toyota Prius.
They are Zipcars, and suddenly they seem to be everywhere. As with most truly innovative concepts, underlying Zipcar is an elegantly simple idea: offer city dwellers affordable 24-hour access to private vehicles for short-term round-trip use. Zipcar clients pay a one-time membership fee, after which they can use a Zipcar whenever they choose. They pay per mile and per hour for the use of the car, thus paying only for what they actually use. Zipcar offers an easy and economical alternative to car ownership for urban dwellers.
Zipcar clients pay a one-time membership fee, after which they can use a Zipcar whenever they choose. They pay per mile and per hour for the use of the car, thus paying only for what they actually use. Zipcar offers an easy and economical alternative to car ownership for urban dwellers.
I'm shocked that such a simple and needed concept has been able to survive for three years without getting put out of business by the public transit Nazis. Although, I'm sure the corporation's legal fees have eaten more than a fair share of the profit. Regulatory harassment aside, this is a great idea.
Link courtesy of NCPA Policy Digest.