A new car-sharing service is now up and running in downtown Orlando, Winter Park and the Disney area, giving commuters another option for getting around. It’s called Zipcar.
Here's how it works: Motorists sign up online at Zipcar.com and, after being approved, can use different cars placed at locations throughout the city and Orange County.
“Just simply wave your card over the windshield on the reader, and you’ll hear a little beep,” said Smokeshane West, Zipcar marketing manager. “The keys are tethered to the steering stock on the inside. Up here over the visor there is a gas card – so in case you need to get gasoline.”
West said the real perk is that the no driver will ever have to pay for the gas. The gas and car insurance are covered by Zipcar.
“We’ve had car share in the past, but now we have Zipcar, which is a worldwide car share organization,” Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said.
Zipcar is already in 13 major cities in Florida, like Miami and Tampa, and on college campuses like the University of Central Florida.
City leaders said believe Zipcars will be an added perk for the students and millennials who already use the car-share company.
The expense for the driver comes with the membership or how much you choose to drive. Monthly memberships start at $7. If you don't want a monthly commitment, the cost is $9 or $69 for the day.
“Each Zipcar that we put on the road, reduces 13-15 cars off the road – personally owned cars. So for us, that’s our mission. Is to make the cities a better place to live by reducing congestion. That’s the whole point,” said West.
When a driver is done, the car has to be returned to the same spot.
Right now, Zipcar is available in Winter Park, UCF and near the airport. But six new Zipcar pickup locations are planned for areas around Lake Eola, City Hall, the Ivanhoe Village District, Thornton Park and the Orange County Courthouse.