Wheels With No Strings Attached!

Knoxville Welcomes Car-Sharing Service Zipcar to Town

Need a car? Borrow a Zipcar! On February 20, the City of Knoxville and the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) launched a partnership with Zipcar to bring car-sharing services to downtown Knoxville and the University of Tennessee. The partnership offers an affordable, convenient transportation choice that will reduce congestion and emissions by giving more Knoxvillians the ability to live car-free.

"We are pleased to welcome Zipcar to Knoxville. Car-sharing will provide a new, flexible transportation option for residents and visitors," Mayor Madeline Rogero said at the official launch ceremony.

To use Zipcars, residents that are 21 and over?UT students must be at least 18?register online. Zipcar takes three-to-five days to verify an applicant's safe driving record, process credit card information, and send out the Zipcard that gives members access to vehicles. Members can reserve a car online or by phone, use their Zipcard to enter the vehicle, and drive away. When they are done, they return to the same location so the car can be picked up by the next user.

Zipcar members:

• Have access to Zipcars 24 hours a day, seven days a week
• Pay rates starting at $7.50/hour or $69/day, including gas and insurance
• May drive up to 180 miles per day before incurring a per mile fee

And thanks to an air-quality improvement grant from the State of Tennessee, TPO is covering membership fees for the first year. That's a savings of $85!

Knoxville resident and Zipcar member Richard Allen Foster has found the service to be easy, convenient, and affordable. "Two years ago I sold my car and moved to D.C. When I returned to Knoxville, I assumed I would need to purchase a new vehicle, but I was happy to see that Zipcar is here," Foster said. "I can maintain my car-free diet and still have wheels when I need them. Whether for a midweek business meeting, a date on Friday night, or errands on Saturday, Zipcar is conveniently located near me and costs a fraction of owning and maintaining my own ride."

Knoxville will initially offer four vehicles, including Ford Focus and Honda Civic models. Two cars will be located on the Gay Street Viaduct, and two will be on the UT campus at the intersection of 20th Street and Andy Holt Avenue.

For more information or to join the local Zipcar service, visit www.zipcar.com/knoxville.

Posted 03-20-2013. Written by Sarah Powell. Photo by Traci McDonell.