University of Washington Expands Flexcar Program; Additional Cars Provide Mobility for Faculty, Staff and Students

    SEATTLE--Oct. 1, 2002--The University of Washington has expanded its use of Flexcar's car-sharing program to offer more mobility options for students, faculty and staff at the Seattle campus.
    Available at "prime" locations around campus, Flexcars' low-emission vehicles are available for hourly use by members, reducing the need to drive to or park on campus simply to have access to a vehicle.
    Beginning September 30, five additional Flexcar vehicles will be stationed around the UW campus serving dual roles as fleet vehicles for some UW departments, while also being available to all Flexcar members. The University will extend its discounted Flexcar membership program for U-PASS subscribers who receive subsidized transit fares on a range of regional transportation modes.
    "Having a Flexcar parked at strategic locations around campus, by arrangement with various departments, helps make transit a much more attractive option for people coming to campus," said Peter Dewey, Manager of Transportation at the University of Washington. "If people can access a car or light truck for an errand during the day, from a convenient location on such a large campus, it makes riding a bike or bus or carpooling to campus that much easier," Dewey said. "Those cars are also be available to the public, so we think they would be well-used," Dewey added.
    To date, more than 500 U-PASS members have signed up for Flexcar services.
    Flexcar's innovative program provides members with access to a fleet of nearly 100 environmentally friendly vehicles, including gas-electric hybrids and light pickup trucks, located in Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Kirkland, West Seattle, Bremerton and Bainbridge Island. Members reserve the vehicles for hourly use with Flexcar covering the cost of the car, gas, parking, insurance, and maintenance. Members can pay an hourly or monthly rate for use of the vehicles.
    "This kind of approach to mobility management represents a significant focus for our business," said Flexcar's President and CEO Neil Peterson. "We can save money for companies or institutions who need vehicles, maximize their parking resources and help their employees use transit options more effectively. For the larger community, this simple but dramatic program reduces congestion, emissions and the need for more parking," Peterson said.
    According to Flexcar, such dual use of Flexcar vehicles for fleets and members does not mean people who need access to a car don't find one when they need it.
    "We study the need and usage and determine car use on that basis," Peterson said. "It is to everyone's advantage to have the cars be well-used. If a location needs another car, we add vehicles," Peterson said.
    Dewey noted that the University's U-PASS program remains the cornerstone of the UW's efforts to reduce single person vehicle trips and maximize parking on the campus, which is why Flexcar membership is being offered to U-PASS holders at reduced rates.
    "U-PASS has been our most successful means of getting students, faculty and staff to find ways besides single occupancy vehicle trips to get to and around campus," said Dewey. "Adding Flexcar as a benefit to U-PASS holders and placing more Flexcar vehicles around campus will help make a good program better," he said.
    The University has long faced a challenge in providing incentives for faculty and staff to use transit rather than personal vehicles, both in commuting to work and for trips around and off campus during the day.
    "Our fleet vehicles were all stationed on one corner of the campus," Dewey said. "It was often more convenient for people to use their own cars during the day, which meant they had to drive to work, usually alone."
    With Flexcar vehicles deployed in addition to UW fleet cars, faculty and staff can access vehicles for errands off campus or distant meetings more easily. Students and nearby residents can also access the cars.
    Other Flexcar services have also helped increase the popularity of car-sharing on campus. "Flexcar's small pick-up trucks are very popular," said Lisa Quinn, Public Information Specialist with the University's Transportation Office. Quinn says. "Having access to a light truck a few times a year is almost a necessity for students who are moving or who buy a large piece of furniture. But it doesn't make much sense for people to own and pay to maintain a truck in the city," Quinn said. "To meet that occasional need on a very economical basis, Flexcar is ideal."
    People interested in joining Flexcar can visit www.flexcar.com or attend on-campus orientation sessions every Wednesday at 2:00 pm in the HUB building, room 304D.

    Flexcar

    Headquartered in Seattle, Flexcar now operates car-sharing programs for more than 7,000 members in more than a dozen cities and counties in 5 states and the District of Columbia. With flexible pricing plans, members can reserve and drive any of these cars whenever and wherever they need to, without filling out complicated paperwork, paying for insurance, gas or repairs. Flexcar Business Memberships enable companies to augment or replace their fleet with Flexcar vehicles. Flexcar's modern fleet includes sedans, gas-electric hybrids, electric cars and specialty vehicles including pickups and convertibles. Flexcar has established strategic partnerships with King County (Wash.) Metro, Kitsap County (Wash.) Transit, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Parsons Transportation Group and American Honda Motor Company, Inc.

    Editor's Note: Correct spelling and punctuation is "Flexcar"; not FlexCar, Flex Car or Flexicar.