My Prius Hybrid Carshare

[the car in the photo is not a Prius--it had a dead battery the day I had to take the picture]

I'm here in San Francisco for seven weeks, and occasionally need a car, so instead of renting a car, I thought I would try the Zipcar car share program.

The idea is that instead of renting a car for a day or a week, you rent it by the hour! There are lots all over the city (and a few in Berkeley and Oakland) with fuel-efficient cars. A very reasonable hourly rate covers gas and insurance as well as the car. You literally just go to the car, flash your membership card over the scanner, get in, and go. No waiting in line for the rental car.

This program is really designed for folks who live in a city and occasionally need a car. There are Zipcars in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Minneapolis, Chicago, Ann Arbor, New England, New York/New Jersey, Washington DC, Chapel Hill, Vancouver, Toronto, and London. Your membership is good everywhere there are Zipcars.

There's a $25 one-time membership fee and it takes a few days to get your card, so you need to plan in advance if you're a visitor, but I love it! Truly, if I were living here full time and didn't already have my own car, I would use this service all the time. It's so convenient. I was skeptical, but it works.

I've been reserving a Toyota Prius hybrid car for weekly trips I need to make over the Golden Gate Bridge. It's $5.40/hour, so four hours is less than $25. That's for the car, the gas, and the insurance. A rental car is $65 for the day, plus the time waiting to rent the car and return it and you have to fill up with gas.

There are two lots very close to where I am staying--one a half a block away and the other, where the Prius is, is two blocks away. It takes me less than five minutes to walk to it.

Really, all I do is swipe my membership card, get in, and drive away.

The first time, the Prius was there and working and I had a great time driving my first hybrid car. I loved it and would buy one if I could afford it. Larry and I actually looked at them, but a new one was $28,000. With Zipcar, I get to drive a Prius for $25.

The second time, I went to pick up the Prius and the ignition card was missing. So I called Zipcar, and in less than five minutes total time I was in another Zipcar in the same lot. The replacement car was $9.00/hour, but I got it for the $5.40 I would have paid for the Prius.

The third time, I received an email saying the battery in my Prius was dead and they had reserved another car for me--again an upgrade at the same price.

Another benefit is that they have all kinds of cars--from Mini Coopers to pick-up trucks and vans. So you can pick whatever type of vehicle you need at the moment.

This has been a very reliable service and I think the idea is fantastic. It really is possible to get a car when you need one through a car sharing program, and I'd like to see these EVERYWHERE!