A Zip Car Named Desire

By Margaret Pepe
Staff Writer

Many students do not keep a car on campus. Using the shuttle requires following a schedule, and calling for taxis can be expensive. In Oct. 2014, LIU Post made the Zip Car service available as another option for students who need a mode of transportation on campus. For students who actively need a car and cannot afford to use a taxi service every day, the Zip Cars are a useful alternative.

In order to use these cars, available in the residential parking lots on campus, students first have to make an account and get approved by Zip Car for the car service. Once approved, students will receive their own “Zip Card,” available on their cellphones, and they can begin to reserve cars. The “Zip Card” unlocks one of the available cars, and gives students access to use them.

The cost for students to join Zip Car is only $25, with additional rates starting at $7.50 per hour for the use of a car or $69 per day. Zip Car rates will increase to $35 after the first year of membership. This membership allows students to use the car service wherever Zip Cars are located or available; it is not restricted to the cars available on campus. Gas, insurance, and roughly 180 miles of driving per day are included in the monthly rates.

The Zip Car service was launched in late October by the Sustainability Committee at Post, and is available to all students, graduate and undergraduate. However, many students are still unaware of the new service. The Zip Cars have received mixed reviews from the students. To some, the Zip Cars seem unnecessary, while to others they seem useful.

“I don’t think that the Zip Cars [will] be that useful for the students that commute because most students already have their own cars, so I would only really see a need for dormers to use them,” said Mariel Bourie, a commuter student, and freshman Music Education major. “Personally I would rather just use a taxi; it’s cheaper and more convenient.”

“I think the Zip Cars are useful for dorming students because a lot of us don’t have cars to drive, so it’s hard to go off campus,” said residential student, Amber Castle, a sophomore Public Relations major. “I would definitely use the Zip Cars provided by the campus, once I get my license.”

There are currently two Zip Cars on campus, but that is subject to change if the new service becomes popular enough among its users. Students can find out more about the Zip Cars by going to www.zipcars.com/liupost.