Fast, flexible Flexcar serves OSU

Almost 400 students and faculty have signed up with a car-sharing company designed to give students an alternative to driving a car to campus, a company spokesman said.

Beginning this quarter, Flexcar partnered up with OSU and is allowing members to rent from a fleet of 20 cars, starting at only $5 an hour.

"Ideally this will allow people to use alternate modes of transportation," said Sarah Blouch, director of Transportation and Parking Services.

Although bus service is available to all OSU students, Blouch acknowledged the benefits a personal car can provide.

"What if you have a doctor's appointment between classes or you just have to run to the grocery store? These are the kind of things Flexcar can really help with," Blouch said.

"This response has prompted Flexcar to consider expanding and adding more cars to their OSU collection," Williams said.

What makes a company like Flexcar unique is the idea of car-sharing. Instead of holding cars at a central location, Flexcar has 20 cars parked in easy-access locations around OSU's campus. Members share access to all these cars, which include sports cars, hybrids, and even a pickup truck and minivan.

Reservations are made online or over the phone, after which the driver pays the $5 hourly rate that covers gas, insurance and 150 miles (20 cents per mile thereafter). When done with the car, the driver simply returns it to its original parking place.

According to Flexcar's Web site, cost for members consists of an hourly usage fee, starting at $5 an hour, and an annual membership fee, around $35. Flexcar covers almost all other costs, although there are exceptions. For example, a fee will be added if the inside of the car is dirty beyond use.

"Flexcar has been offering car-sharing on select campuses since 2002, even though only people 21 and older could use it," Williams said. "In 2006, however, we introduced our 'Flexcar for Undergrads' program, which expanded the service to 18-21-year-olds. With this in place, we began seeing a lot more interest from campuses around the country."

These campuses include, among others, USC, the University of Florida, the University of Maryland and the University of Wisconsin-Miwaukee.

"We want to see as many students, faculty, and staff as possible using the vehicles instead of bringing their own cars to campus," Williams said. "This reduces congestion, pollution, and helps save everybody some money."

miller.3837@osu.edu