With first-year students no longer permitted to have cars on campus, Ramapo is offering Zipcar service as an alternative this semester. Zipcar, according to its website, is the world's largest car sharing service.
"It's a membership-based car rental company," said Cadence Dento, a member of Zipcar's field marketing team. "It's $25 to join and you pay as you go."
Dento was on campus on Thursday, Jan. 31 to inform students and faculty about how Zipcar works.
According to her, Ramapo students and faculty can rent either a Honda Civic for $8.50 per hour or a Ford Focus for $7.50 per hour. Either car can also be rented for the entire day for $69. The cars can be rented up to four days in a row, but after the fourth day, the driver has to renew the rental.
Gas and insurance is included in the price. There is a gas card in the visor, which can be used at any gas station, and drivers are placed under Zipcar's insurance.
"It's a benefit for those type of drivers who can't have a car on campus," Dento said.
Danielle Demeroff is one of those drivers. Demeroff is a freshman who can't have her car on campus due to the College's new policy. She has used the shuttle to get off campus, but would prefer to have access to a car.
"I hate having to rely on the shuttle. [The shuttle is] the worst because sometimes I want to go really late, and I can't. I just want to get off campus and do something," Demeroff said. "I would use it; it just depends on the price."
Pat Chang, the associate vice president of Student Affairs, agreed that the service is beneficial because Ramapo lacks in the public transportation available at some other college campuses.
"We offer a local shuttle service and we also offer bus service to midtown Manhattan, but you know, there are still people who'd like the convenience to get a car to run some errands for a few hours," Chang said. "We've been working for a long time in trying to get a car rental service on campus."
Chang said Zipcar emerged as the leading option for a rental service because most car rental companies don't rent to anyone under the age of 25.
finally came out with a really college student-friendly rental program," Chang said.
Of course, the Zipcars aren't just for freshmen-or even students for that matter-but some are unsure if the upperclassmen will take advantage of the service.
Laura Coppola, a junior, saw Zipcars work at her old school, but is not sure if it will be as successful at Ramapo because so many students are from the area.
"I used to go to East Stroudsburg in Pennsylvania, and the year that I went there, one of my good friends used it to go back to Jersey," Coppola said. "I feel like here a lot of kids live close enough where they can have [their own] car on campus."
But freshman Amanda Mitola said she thinks bringing Zipcar to Ramapo is positive.
"I think it would be a good idea because freshman aren't allowed cars, so it's like to get anywhere, you have to rely on someone else instead of us just driving," Mitola said.
In order to become a Zipcar member, you must have a credit card that can be billed monthly. For more information or to sign up, visit zipcar.com/students.
lpollack@ramapo.edu
