City CarShare Launches Campus Program at Stanford
Popular Car-Sharing Program Provides Convenient and Affordable Transportation Option to Students, Faculty and Staff
STANFORD, Calif., Sept. 25 -- City CarShare, a national innovator in community-based and environmentally driven car-sharing, today announced the official expansion of its program to Stanford. Students, faculty, staff and neighbors of Stanford University now have the freedom of driving without the hassles of ownership. Brand new Honda Civic hybrids will be parked at both the Serra and Tresidder lots, with room to expand at these and other campus locations as demand increases.
City CarShare has partnered with Stanford's Parking and Transportation Services to establish and market the program to the entire campus community. This news follows on the heels of two other successful campus programs recently launched at UC Berkeley and UCSF earlier this year. Over 2,600 people currently use City CarShare at 45 Bay Area locations, including in downtown Palo Alto and Mountain View.
"It's ideal for employees who would like to carpool, walk, bike or take public transportation to work but sometimes need a car during the day for doctor appointments, errands or meetings," said Brodie Hamilton, director of Parking and Transportation Services at Stanford. "We think it will be a real benefit for all members of the campus community."
City CarShare initiated its "City CarShare on Campus" program to influence and encourage future generations of car-sharers. The program introduces car-sharing as an affordable, easy to use transportation option that provides mobility while reducing the number of vehicles on the road. According to a recent independent survey conducted by UC Berkeley's Institute of Urban Research and Design, 73% of City CarShare members have gotten rid of, or have opted not to purchase, a vehicle. Consequently, City CarShare members are consuming less fuel and emitting far less harmful pollutants.
"Our partnership with Stanford has the potential to affect the driving habits of future generations," said City CarShare Executive Director Larry Magid. "Car-sharing allows students to enjoy the benefits of the Bay Area without needing to own a car, and it gives faculty and staff the option to not drive to work with the security of having access to a car when the need arises."
How City CarShare Works
City CarShare members simply make reservations on the website (www.citycarshare.org) or by using an automated phone system, and pick up the cars when they need them. Vehicles are available 24 hours a day, and members can make reservations up to three months in advance. Members pay only for the amount they drive: $4 per hour (only $2 per hour between 10 pm and 10 am) and $.44 cents per mile, which includes gas, insurance and maintenance. Members can save hundreds of dollars a month by sharing instead of owning a car. According to the Automobile Association of America, the average monthly cost to own a car in the Bay Area is more than $500. In contrast, the average City CarShare member's monthly bill is just $65.
About City CarShare
Founded as a non-profit organization in March of 2001, City CarShare's mission is to promote car-sharing as a community-based transportation option that respects the environmental, economic and social integrity of our neighborhoods and planet. City CarShare now has over 2,600 members sharing 85 cars from nearly 40 Bay Area locations. For more information about City CarShare, please visit www.citycarshare.org.