WESTON, Mass., April 7, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- U Car Share is expanding its growth as it partners with Regis College by launching an alternative to vehicle ownership. U Car Share allows students, staff and faculty access to cars 24/7, thus eliminating the need to bring a car to campus during the school year. Students can join U Car Share and reduce their environmental impact while saving thousands of dollars a year compared to bringing a car to campus. Members pay only for what they use, in one low hourly rate. U Car Share takes care of fuel, mileage, insurance and maintenance costs.
A photo accompanying this release is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6046
With a growing student population, Regis College has found a progressive way to counteract parking overload without sacrificing convenience: the answer is U Car Share. Car sharing meets the needs of students while being sensitive to the surrounding community and environment. Car sharing reduces the demand for parking and results in greater sustainability while allowing people to keep their mobility.
U Car Share vehicles soon will be positioned for easy access to students and the community, and will be available on the Regis College campus beginning August 2009. U Car Share will provide two EPA SmartWay certified vehicles that will be parked at the main college parking lot adjacent to Lot A. The vehicles will be a Toyota Prius Hybrid and Ford Focus.
Students, faculty and staff will be able to access the vehicle with a U Car Share membership card. As prequalified members, they will be able to log on to ucarshare.com at any time and reserve their vehicle of choice on the U Car Share network. Members can reserve cars for as little as an hour at any time of the day. Gas, miles and insurance are all included in one low hourly rate starting at $9.50 per hour. Daily rates are available as well.
"A partnership with U Car Share will be beneficial to the Undergraduate Office of Admission, as we plan travel for the fall season, provide alternative methods for current and future students to travel the New England area, and meet these needs in a cost efficient and environmentally friendly manner," stated Wanda E. Suriel, director of Undergraduate Admission.
"Both economically and environmentally friendly, U Car Share will offer a solution to our students who do not have their own cars on campus. The U Car Share system will be yet another service Regis will be able to provide to its students to help them stay connected to their off-campus commitments," stated Laura Bertonazzi, director of Student Activities. "Students will be able to utilize this new system not only for social purposes, but also when fulfilling the requirements of internships. and going on job interviews. A welcome addition to the current transportation service offerings, U Car Share will provide flexibility in our students' abilities to go off campus for a variety of reasons. For student groups, the U Car Share system will be a great way for students to do off-campus programming or simply get the supplies they need to host their programs. Whether going to a lecture at the Boston Public Library or heading to Logan Airport to pick up a performer, U Car Share will provide our students with opportunities to expand their college experience."
"U Car Share is a growing part of our business and is a perfect extension of our business model," exclaimed Levi Parmerter, president, U-Haul Company of Boston, "Helping to create greater sustainability through shared-use vehicles at local colleges and universities is just another way of showing our commitment to the community."
For a limited time, membership is free (a $50 value). Log on to ucarshare.com today and enter promotion code REGISFREE20091 when signing up. (This promotion code is case sensitive and will expire on August 30, 2009.)
U Car Share encourages parents to think twice about sending their students to campus with a car. Instead of dealing with the hassles of parking, maintenance and insurance, consider a membership with U Car Share. The cars will be available for reservations 24/7 every day of the year.
Research shows that car sharing is great for the environment. Every shared car on the road can replace up to 15 personally owned vehicles. This means that fewer cars will need to be manufactured, fewer cars will be on the road and the community's carbon footprint will be reduced. Car sharing is fast becoming a critical element of the transportation network in many cities and universities, enabling residents, students and businesses to get rid of their cars while still meeting their transportation needs.
U Car Share is committed to the community and will work with Regis College to see that the program is successful. U Car Share is very excited to be in Weston, Mass., and looks forward to the growth of car sharing.
U Car Share also is available in: Portland, Maine; College Station, Texas; Madison, Wis.; Berkeley, Calif. and Portland, Ore.
For more information about U Car Share, log on to ucarshare.com or call 1-866-323-4591.
U-Haul Corporate Sustainability Initiative
U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up in the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100 percent biodegradable. Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.
The U-Haul International, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=5134
The photo is also available via AP PhotoExpress.
