Residents Call for Car Sharing - Zipcar Responds, Launches Service in Fort Greene/Clinton Hill

BROOKLYN, N.Y., June 12 -- In response to high demand for alternative transportation options from local residents and community leaders, Zipcar, the world's largest car sharing company, today announced it will launch service into Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. With the help of local community members and organizations, Zipcar has responded to hundreds of requests from local residents by placing vehicles at convenient locations throughout the neighborhoods, giving local residents easy and affordable access to cars when they need them.

Due to the overwhelming demand, Zipcar is immediately bringing five vehicles to both the DMK Garage at 116 Waverly Avenue and the Armory Parking Garage at 172 Vanderbilt Avenue, with plans to bring as many as 10 additional cars to Fort Greene and Clinton Hill during the next several months. The fleet will include a range of self-service Zipcars, including Honda Civics, Mazda 3s, and Volkswagen Jettas. Zipcars will be immediately available to all members by the hour or day, allowing residents the freedom of car ownership when current transportation options do not meet their needs.

During the past few months, residents and businesses of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill petitioned to have Zipcars placed within their neighborhoods in order to alleviate severe parking concerns and to provide alternative transportation methods besides the local subway. "Zipcar's launch into Fort Greene and Clinton Hill is a great example of local residents taking proactive steps to improve urban life in their communities," said Julian Espritu, Regional Vice President of Zipcar -- New York. "We have worked closely with local residents and community leaders to offer an affordable and convenient alternative to car ownership as the relative cost of ownership continues to rise."

"We have been doing our best to help Zipcar find appropriate parking facilities in the area and are extremely excited to have them expand into our neighborhood. This move will provide residents with more transportation choices without contributing to additional on-street parking demand," says Michael Blaise Backer, Executive Director of the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership, the local Business Improvement District and the Local Development Corporation overseeing Myrtle Avenue's economic revitalization.

Aside from creating important economic and environmental benefits for the local community, recent studies by Zipcar and municipalities have indicated that each Zipcar takes more than 20 privately-owned vehicles off the road, increases transit use and saves urban residents thousands of dollars a year on transportation costs, money that is reportedly spent locally.

Zipcar's continued expansion into Fort Green and Clinton Hill follows the company's phenomenal 100% growth in the Brooklyn and throughout NY/NJ during the past year.

About Zipcar

Zipcar is the world's largest and fastest growing car sharing service, with more than 100,000 members and 3,000 vehicles in major metropolitan areas and colleges campuses, including Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Vancouver, Toronto and London, England. As a leading urban lifestyle brand, Zipcar provides a convenient and cost effective transportation alternative for individuals, businesses and universities in 23 cities throughout North America and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.zipcar.com.