Zipcars on Baylor campus offer an alternative for students without cars

During the spring of my sophomore year, the motor in my 11-year-old Chevy Blazer died as I drove down I-35 and had to be replaced. The major overhaul took a week, during which time I had to scramble and rely on friends for rides to work, the store, etc. (Thanks again, Tim!)

An option like the Zipcar would have made my life far easier back then. A new program this fall, the Zipcars now available on the Baylor campus allow faculty, students and staff the opportunity to rent a vehicle for a day or just a few hours.

Baylor is one of two Texas universities participating in the Zipcar program among more than 150 schools nationwide. Two cars — a Honda Civic and a Honda Insight hybrid — are parked behind the Bill Daniel Student Center; more cars will be added as demand merits.

The reasonably low rates — $35 a year to sign up, then anywhere from $8 an hour on weekdays to $72 a day on weekends — cover the cost of gas and insurance; a gas card remains inside the car to pay for fill-ups. Once enrolled in the program, participants reserve the cars online, then wave a special “Zipcard” over a sensor to unlock the car. For more details, visit zipcar.com/baylor.

Sic ’em, Zipcar drivers!