NIU now has three Zipcars available for students who need some wheels to run errands, keep doctor’s appointments or even head out of town on a road trip.
Faculty, staff and community members who join Zipcar also can reserve the vehicles.
The Zipcar service allows members to reserve cars on a short-term basis, at hourly or daily rates. Two cars debuted on campus in February of 2014 and have steadily grown in popularity, with strong utilization since the start of this semester.
Students, faculty, staff and community members can sign up for Zipcar membership by visiting www.zipcar.com/niu and completing a brief application form. There is a $25 application fee, and new members will receive a $35 credit toward driving time during their first month. A valid driver’s license and credit card are required to register. Applicants also must submit to a review of their driving record – a process that 94 percent of applicants successfully pass.
Once registered, members can reserve a car by going online or using the Zipcar mobile app that can be downloaded to their smart phone. When members arrive at their reservation they scan their Zipcard, which allows access to the reserved vehicle.
Zipcars on NIU campus start at $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. The vehicles can be reserved for as little as an hour or for up to four days, with gas, insurance and 180 miles per day included in the reservation cost. Charges are placed on the credit card used to register. Additional fees for returning a car late or cancelling a reservation will also be automatically charged to the card.
Zipcar members can find cars parked in Lot D, just north of Neptune West along Lucinda Avenue, and in a new location on the northeast side of the Student Recreation Center parking lot, facing Lucinda.
Zipcar has cars on more than 400 college campuses across North America and in 30 major cities around the globe.
For more information contact Sue Bidstrup in NIU Parking Services (815) 753-8541.
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