Self-Serve Car Rental 143
abb_road writes "Claiming 'Web2.0 values meet Brick and Mortar,' BusinessWeek is reporting on an entirely self service car rental company. Zipcar customers make all reservations online or using a cell phone, then use a card-key to pick up their car from the parking garage--no attendants needed. According to the article, one of the other important attractions of the system is transparency; the reservations system allows you to see exactly what cars in the area will be available at what times, and then reserve or adjust your plans accordingly. From the article: 'If the nearest Mini convertible is booked until 3 p.m., the customer might postpone plans by an hour to get it -- or decide the Mazda with a sunroof on another lot will do.'"
Sounds Interesting (Score:1)
Re:Sounds Interesting (Score:5, Funny)
What if someone in a monster truck drives over all the cars in the parking lot?
Re:Sounds Interesting (Score:5, Funny)
LMAO.
Good reason not to park in a huge line of cars: big temptation for monster truck drivers.
Re:Sounds Interesting (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Maybe not (Score:1)
A few years ago I was almost missed my flight out of Ireland because of a minor collision with a rental car. The rental company wanted to charge me a $400-$500 for the damages and wouldn't put it on my debit card even though that's how I paid for the rental. I ended up having to call my bank and get someone there verify that I had the funds in my account before the company would run my card. Not fun when the opening time for the customer service line was a few minutes before I had to be at the airline ga
Re:Maybe not (Score:3, Interesting)
I finally gave in to the pressure from the Ryder truck rental guy to pay an extra $100 for the insurance. Two days later I drove that 12 foot truck under an 11 foot overhang, doing about four thousand dollars worth of damage in the process. I was amazed at how fragile that big truck was, actually - but I was real happy I bought that insurance.
As I understand it with Zipcar, there is a deposit you pay ($25 or $50 maybe?) and when the next guy rents the car and doesn't c
old news (Score:3, Informative)
Re:old news (Score:1)
Re:old news (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:old news (Score:2)
but you have to subscribe to this serv
Re:old news (Score:2)
The other disadvantage is that you pay a fee per hour for using the car, so it isn't really convenient for going into the country for a few days.
The cars also aren't really fun to drive too. This is to discourage racing, I suppose.
In my house we have one car for two people, and we both have a subscription to this service.
Re:old news (Score:2)
You are responsible for small repairs (up to a fixed amount, rest is insured) if you are the last driver, and you are supposed to report any damage you see. I once walked to a car I booked to discover it was total loss. Hit by someone else.
You also have to park it in the reserved parking place. Problem is that after 23:00 it may be taken by someone else, because the police don't do parking tickets and towing after 23:00 and many people
Re:old news (Score:2)
Chances are that most things are going to be in walking distance anyway and for most everything else there exists mass transportation.
My friend had the zipcar service and oddly enough it was cheaper then my car insurance for a months worth of driving. (I'm assumming because he was a light driver)
Being a non-city dweller it is tough to get my mind around the concept of not owning a gas guzzling beast, but it was very much my plan to
Re:old news (Score:2)
But I think the thing is that I'm in the same boat as you, I'm not originally a city dweller. So I have this sort of mental block about living car-less. It used to take me 90 minutes on the school bus to just get to elementary school to high school. As soon as I was old enough to drive I started driving myself, 90 minutes is crazy. the bus
Re:old news (Score:2)
It is a yearly fee of just $20 and you get a $20 credit (good for a month) when you first sign up. They do provide a RFID card so there is some cost for them in your becoming a member as well. The cost is only $5 per hour and $55 per day (based on the faq they really mean OR $55 a day, but I digress)
Re:old news (Score:2)
For the Dutch Greenwheels, the cheapest subscription (with higher hourly rates) is €5 per month, which is close enough to "free" for me. I wonder why they bother anyway.
Re:old news (Score:2)
Re:old news (Score:2, Funny)
Surely this is a typo!
Canada Too. (Score:2)
Annoying Trial (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Maybe they will copy Blockbuster? (Score:1)
Re:Maybe they will copy Blockbuster? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Maybe they will copy Blockbuster? (Score:2)
Re:Maybe they will copy Blockbuster? (Score:1)
Re:Maybe they will copy Blockbuster? (Score:2)
There are significant-enough cash penalties ($25 and up) for bringing back a car late and in my experience, it very seldom happens... I have a feeling that if someone were abusing the system, they'd be quickly booted anyway.
Zipcar is a great example of a new generation of companies that is somewhat selective about its customers, assumes we are at least a bit smarter than algae, and holds customers accountable for their end of the contract (while also upholding its own end of the contract).
I've
But... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:But... (Score:1)
Re:But... (Score:1)
Re:But... (Score:2)
Re:But... (Score:1)
Re:But... (Score:3, Interesting)
But I'll get it when I'm driving in Vermont at Christmastime just because I've forgotten everything I ever knew about driving in snow because I spend the other 11.5 months of the year in Southern California. I'll also occasionally get it if I'm renting something I'm not used to driving--like an SUV or a truck.
Actually, my favorite stor
Re:But... (Score:1)
Maybe it's different where you are, but like I said, the rental people told me all the supplemental insurance covers is for your deductable. $20/day to insure against a $500 deductable make no sense from any risk management perspective.
Your story about the Lambo sounds like a bit of urban legend to me. They won't let you rent the car if your own insurance won't cover it, but they didn't check the guy's insurance to ensure it covered the value of an expensive car, which would be the
Re:But... (Score:3, Informative)
Nope. I saw the remains of the car and talked to the owner. I was there renting a Cooper Mini S--I like to rent cars I'm considering buying to see if I'm really going to like them and it's tough to get the 'S' version from the neighborhood Hertz or Avis.
The person he rent
Re:But... (Score:1)
Zipcar has been around since Jun 2000 (Score:5, Insightful)
This is new??! (Score:4, Informative)
Though in the early days, you were given a key to open a box at the parking space, which in turn contained the car keys. Nowadays, you are handed out a near-range wireless SmartCard which you use to open the car and activate it (there's some in-car computer). This new system has been implemented at around 2001. And it's nation-wide. (For the curious, it's www.mobility.ch [mobility.ch]).
Re:This is new??! (Score:3, Informative)
Zipcar's been in the US since 2000 as well. Business Week's a little slow on the draw.
Re:This is new??! (Score:2)
Re:This is new??! Wikipedia? (Score:2)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flexcar [wikipedia.org]
Re:This is new??! (Score:2)
Yeah, we got it in Somerville too (Score:2)
Although to be fair, it is pretty sci-fi. It's neat to walk up to a car in the middle of a parking lot, wave your wallet over the windshield and clim
Re:Yeah, we got it in Somerville too (Score:2)
Re:Yeah, we got it in Somerville too (Score:2)
Zipcars are around $10 an hour. So if its a two hour affair getting your TV, then you end up saving some money. You don't pay gas in a zipcar. So you save time and potentially money.
Re:Yeah, we got it in Somerville too (Score:2)
Now, I require a car to get to work (miles down a highway, no alternative route and nasty weather), but I drive a small fuel efficient car. If I need to move something big, I'll rent something. It's not that expensive.
Meanwhile I have lots of coworkers driving trucks or SUV's and complaining about gas prices.
Re:Yeah, we got it in Somerville too (Score:2)
FlexCar (Score:1)
"Welcome to a new era in personal transportation. It's called carsharing. You share access to hundreds of Flexcar vehicles, often within a five-minute walk of your home or work. You reserve a car online or by phone, you drive - to a meeting, to run errands, or to hit the lumber yard - and you return, all for one hourly rate that covers gas, insurance and unlimited miles. All you pay for is the drive. How simple and smart is that? Plus, Flexcar is convenient, affordable
Oh yeah? (Score:2)
But... now it has Javascript!
Re:Oh yeah? (Score:2)
Only useful if you live in a small group of cities (Score:2)
Re:Only useful if you live in a small group of cit (Score:2)
Augh. Not a single green light down there. Some of the surrounding towns are alright, but in the city proper...
Re:Only useful if you live in a small group of cit (Score:2)
You would think that accelerating to the speed limit as soon as you leave a red light would get you greens. But nooooooooooo.
Backgroung info on zipcar (Score:3, Funny)
For more info, see the Wikipedia page on Zipcar [wikipedia.org].
Re:Backgroung info on zipcar (Score:2)
Those problems were nothing compared to what happened on busy days, when customer #2 punched in his selection while customer #1 was still starting the car at the bottom of the chute.
City Car Share (Score:3, Informative)
If you return the car late you get charged a pretty hefty late fee. You ca extend a reservation over the phone, provided that no-one else has reserved that car after you already. If you're running late and notify the office, you get a smaller late fee than you would have if you were just "missing".
It's cost effective if you just need a car for a couple hours, or an evening. If you need it for a day or more, go to a car rental place.
That article (if the summary is correct, which is a dangerous assumption to make on
Buncha crap (Score:1, Troll)
Re:Buncha crap (Score:1)
http://www.autoshare.com/ [autoshare.com]
The've been running successfully for something like 8 years. I've been a member for over a year and it works smoothly... *all* the time. Never had a single problem. Not once. Sure the cars can get a bit dirty but you just clean it out and they pay you for your time. Easy as pie. You fill the gas when it goes below 1/2 tank. If you don't.. you get a fine. Easy as pie.
They've got great cars, great prices and
Re:Buncha crap (Score:2)
Yea, just one. What happens when you leave Toronto and have to rent a car in Detroit? No Autocar.
Seriously. Autocar may be a nice little business that works great in Toronto - but is the ONLY city they appear to be in (from what I can see on the website). The point of my previous post is that this business model does NOT scale very well to serve lots and lots of people (and cities). It just won't work on that level for the (some of) the reasons I outlined earlier.
Management
Re:Buncha crap (Score:1)
In any case.. the point of autoshare isn't to replace full day auto rentals. The point is to provide short term cars for those who don't have them. eg. if I want to go pick up some furniture from Ikea, pick up a massive load of groceries, make a midnight run to Home Depot
Re:Buncha crap (Score:1)
Re:Buncha crap (Score:5, Informative)
There is a whole flock of bicycle dudes [boston.com] who go out (in all weather, all year long) and take care of the cars. As well, Zipcar members are encouraged to inspect the car when they go to get it, and to immediately report any problems - dents, out of washer fluid, whatever.
If it's something dumb like washer fluid, you can even buy more and they'll reimburse if you can't charge it on the (provided in the car) fleet gasoline charge card.
Far as I know, the concept is flying and has been for like 6 years now. I am a very happy Zipcar customer. I've been able to get rid of my car altogether, saving many $thousands a year... and in exchange, I pay a few $hundreds per year for use of a practically new car, with insurance, maintenance and fuel provided, whenever I need one.
As far as "whenever I need one" they seem to add cars pretty aggressively to follow demand. I've never been totally closed out... maybe you have to walk an extra 2 or 3 blocks to get to one at a specific time, but that's not really a big deal. It does require some adjustments to how you think about getting around, but the only reason I had a car in the past was for those trips that totally don't work on a bike (and taxis - just forget it, they're miserable and expensive)... this provides it.
Re:Buncha crap (Score:2)
There is always some half baked moron that can't figure out how to work the machine.
The only time I need to stop is when I by Beer and they ned to 'check' my ID.
I am old enough where checking my ID is a formality at best.
Re:Buncha crap (Score:2)
Naysayers can just please go away. Borrowing a car for an hour is not a complicated transaction. You reserve the car, walk up to it, wave your electronic key, and drive off. It's *EASY* and it *WORKS IN PRACTICE*. You can't argue with success.
Re:Buncha crap (Score:1)
Re:Buncha crap (Score:1)
You and your 80 yr old grandmother who wants to discover these new fangled 'puters, should stay away from self checkout then. As a former grocery store employee, I find them easy to use 90% of the time, and I enjoy checking out while the lady w/ 20 items in the 15 items or less lane paying w/ a check is holding everybody else up.
Re:Buncha crap (Score:2)
Zipcar deals with that sort of stuff the same as anyone renting cars to people, and they deal with major repairs the same way as anyone else, too; you're requ
Re:Buncha crap (Score:2)
out of interest do any of theese services offer one way travel (e.g. pick up at one depot drop off at another)?
Re:Buncha crap (Score:2)
zipcar technology ok, company not (Score:2, Informative)
Re:zipcar technology ok, company not (Score:2)
Why bother (Score:2)
Why not just go to enterprise pay $20-30?
I like that they wash the car, do an inspection and pick you up for free. Also if I'm late, I just get charged a new rate.
Re:Why bother (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Why bother (Score:1, Interesting)
As for broken cars and whatnot, I've yet to have a problem. The cars are all very new and well cared for. They even have XM radio these days.
Handy for quick jaunts, $$$ for longer trips (Score:1, Informative)
It is *much* more expensive than even Hertz if you are going to take a long trip: the first 100 miles are free, but the per-mile charge thereafter is very high.
I signed up, thinking I would use it for my 1-week-a-month in Boston, but turns out to be cheaper to rent a car
In a kid's show in Japan since 1985 (Score:2)
This isn't new (Score:1)
Zipcar is at least six years old (Score:2)
Part-time wheels: City dwellers share cars through new service
By HEIDI B. PERLMAN
Associated Press Writer
637 words
23 June 2000
08:29
Associated Press Newswires
English
Copyright 2000. The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
BOSTON (AP) - It took only a month for the traffic jams, insurance costs and parking woes of Cambridge to convince Katherine Watkins to sell her car when she moved from Kentucky.
But after two years riding the bus and taking cabs, she finally broke down and go
It's an ad. (Score:2)
GRRAAARRG!! (Score:1)
So why so spendy? (Score:2)
Re:So why so spendy? (Score:1)
Re:So why so spendy? (Score:2)
I wonder why such a huge discrepancy? It must be some kind of idiot tax for people who want to rent a car in a city with a great public transportation infrastructure...
Re:So why so spendy? (Score:1)
Dupe. (Score:1)
But is the price right? (Score:1)
Re:But is the price right? (Score:2)
The intended use is somebody who wants to go somewhere relatively close, but off the T (or with lots of stuff)
for a short time. That is, a quick jaunt to the Ikea, BJ's Wholesale Club, or Bob's Store in Stoughton.
7 flags won't want sell a 2hr pass, so I won't pla (Score:2)
and look at it as a deposit rebated across use, and not some kind
of initiation fee. But hey, whatever, your loss. At least you didn't
join back when they first started and a memberhsip was $300 (to cover
insurance). Sure, the hourly rates were a bit lower but you paid for
your mileage too. Personally, I've been a member for 3 years and only
taken a car out twice... but I have no problem with the plan (other
than that I'd like to receive a reminder
Auto sharing companies... (Score:2)
Example:
http://www.autoshare.com/how.html [autoshare.com]
$6/hr including gas, insurance, etc.
a 'fleet' of cars all around the city.
You book a car, it gives you a code and a location at the time that you want it.
You pick up the car and drop it off in acceptable public parking lots.
It's expensive for a day, but great to get a car to go do groceries or make a trip you wouldn't normally
Convenient, but the Zipcard sucks. (Score:2)
Annoyingly, ZipCar tends to charge my credit card for the tolls I incurred weeks after the reservation. Why does it take so long? Doesn't EZPass give them some kind of realtime account? They must have a hundred EZPass tags in this area.
The cars tend to be quite clean. I've never gotten into one
Re:Convenient, but the Zipcard sucks. (Score:2)
Web 2.0?! (Score:2)
Not a replacement for rentals, great new niche (Score:2)
Re:Huge security problems... (Score:3, Informative)
Oh, wait.
To address your moronic "points", please note that, although the key is in the car, the car's ignition system is tied to an electronic key-card access system. So busting into the car to grab the key nets you nothing at all.
And the "no human in the loop" ignores all those humans in the loop. If
Re:One-Way Rentals? (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:One-Way Rentals? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:obviously... (Score:2)
Return the car late and suffer Draconian penalties: five times the hourly rate. The person who returns it late gets blackmarked and eventually disqualified.
Re:Please - Wipe out some more jobs (Score:2)
Little known fact, more money is comming into America in onshoring (my own word) than offshoring of jobs. While there are many physical jobs going overseas, those companies overseas are paying Americans to be lawyers, architects, consultants, etc.
Re:Please - Wipe out some more jobs (Score:2)
Re:OMG (Score:1)