Zipcar Programs: Gaining a Foothold at Colleges

Zip car programs are gaining a foothold at colleges and universities due to their environmental and economic benefits.  After all, why pay for a parking pass on campus if one is only going to drive out of necessity (i.e. to get groceries that are not accessible on foot or the bus service for the area is not reliable)?  Zip cars, therefore, allow students and others to rent a car when they need to and is a car sharing program among individuals. The environmental benefits of a Zipcar manifest themselves when "internal studies and research by an independent third party have shown that each new Zipcar takes the equivalent of 15 to 20 privately owned vehicles off the road."

The most important part of the Zipcar program, therefore, is taking individuals who otherwise would drive their own vehicles off the streets, which results in a reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from the transportation sector here in the U.S.  Overall, therefore, the Zipcar program sounds like a win-win by keeping individuals off the roads and allowing them to drive when they really need to.  The University of Florida and other colleges and universities are really setting an example for what driving a car should be like in the 21st Century and beyond.

One of the ways to increase the visibility of the Zipcar is through social media and marketing about its benefits. Consequently, the challenge with any new trend, especially something like the Zipcar is to make it more In particular, the Zipcar can become more widespread in the U.S. "if it continues to leverage the conditions creating its opportunity through savvy marketing."  Consequently, the Zipcar is all about marketing, advertising, and educating the public about its many benefits to both the environment and the economy.  As such, in order for the Zipcar to become more widespread in the U.S., there needs to be an aggressive media-savvy like marketing system in place to raise awareness.

Only with raising awareness and showing how the Zipcar is truly beneficial will it be able to expand and become more commonplace in U.S. society.  Right now, the barrier seems to be low or little information about the program itself.  In U.S. society, it is deeply ingrained that a car is a necessity for almost anything an individual wants to do.  That type of mindset needs to change, and when that occurs the Zipcar will become more widely used and available.  Otherwise, the current system of individuals using their car almost indiscriminately will not change.  Change may come when the Zipcar program gains a foothold at colleges and universities, which in turn creates a future full of possibilities and opportunities for such a neat idea.

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