USC Adds Zip to University Park Neighborhood

By Eddie North-Hager on September 18, 2009 8:12 AM

In its continuing effort to be green, USC has partnered with the city of Los Angeles and Zipcar to expand car sharing in the University Park neighborhood.

USC and UCLA, which will add six cars to the streets around Westwood, are the places one can find Zipcars in Los Angeles. Los Angeles officials said they hope to add more cars in Venice, Hollywood and downtown once the university programs prove successful.

Zipcar is a membership-based car-sharing company that provides automobile rentals to its members. Fuel-efficient vehicles such as a Toyota Prius or Matrix can be rented by the hour ($8) or day ($66) after signing up for the annual membership ($35), which includes gas, insurance, 180 free miles and 24/7 roadside assistance.

City and Zipcar officials joined USC and UCLA staff and students on Sept. 14 to announce the partnership on the steps of City Hall.

“You often hear the refrain: You can’t get around L.A. without a car,” said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “We’re here to do away with that myth.”

Officials noted that Zipcar members reported driving 40 percent fewer miles and increasing public transit use by nearly 20 percent, helping to reduce traffic congestion and emissions.

According to officials, Zipcars result in fewer miles driven because users reduce or combine their trips to maximize use of the car and minimize expense. And because a Zipcar provides access to a vehicle, people don’t buy one, which increases their use of public transportation.

“This is an environmental home run,” said Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who represents West L.A. “You get the pleasure and convenience of a car, but you take cars off the highway.”

The six cars added to the University Park neighborhood, plus six additional vehicles that soon will be added to the University Park campus, brings USC’s total to 28. That’s the largest Zipcar fleet at a university, according to Anthony Mazza, USC’s director of transportation. Mazza said that the cars are now being used more than 13 hours a day.

Two new cars will be parked at 32nd Street and University Avenue, West 29th Street and Orchard Avenue, and West Adams and Portland Street. For additional locations and information, visit http://www.zipcar.com

Mazza noted that transportation alternatives are important at USC, which has 50,000 faculty, staff and students and only 13,000 parking spaces.

Zipcar, the world’s largest car-sharing service, has 325,000 members and 6,500 vehicles in urban areas and college campuses throughout the United States and Canada, as well as in London.

TAGS: community programs, environment

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