Newswise — At first glance, two cars parked in reserved spots on the Binghamton University campus don’t seem that out of the ordinary. But get closer and you’ll notice they both have card-readers on the windshield, denoting that they’re part of a new car-sharing program — Connect by Hertz. Students, faculty and staff who register as members of Connect by Hertz can reserve one of the cars for an hour, a day or up to a week at a time.
There are a number of reasons Binghamton University has implemented the program, according to Peter Napolitano, director of auxiliary services, not the least of which is the impact on the environment.
“Connect by Hertz estimates that each of their shared cars eliminates the need for as many as 14 vehicles on the road,” he said. “That makes parking on campus easier while reducing overall emissions and using less gas.”
And registering is easy. To join, drivers must be 18 years of age with a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record. The standard membership fee is being waived for the first year for those who use a special promotional code. After an individual registers online, a Connect by Hertz membership card will be sent that provides access to the shared cars when an individual reserves driving time via phone or the Internet.
Once a car is reserved, the member simply heads over to the car’s parking spot, swipes the membership card over the reader located on the lower left windshield to unlock the vehicle and hops in. The member then has the use of the car for the period of time it has been reserved. Gas, roadside assistance and insurance are all taken care of by Connect by Hertz. Members simply pay the hourly charges, which start as low as $8 an hour and include 180 miles per day, and return the car to its starting location. Additional fees are charged for things such as returning a car late or mileage overruns.
The Binghamton University Student Association is behind the program, and is actively promoting it to students. Elahd Bar-Shai, chair of the Student Assembly, has been working toward establishing a car-sharing program for over a year and is actively promoting it.
“I lived on campus for three years and getting around the area isn’t as easy as some might think,” he said. “This gives students without a car their freedom. It balances a car culture with a greener way to do things.”
More information about the Connect by Hertz program can be found at http://www.connectbyhertz.com/about/howitworks.aspx\
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