Zipcar, Hubway Cultivate University Partnerships

Since Harvard partnered with car rental provider Zipcar and bike share company Hubway, students increasingly have taken advantage of these companies’ discounted rates for Harvard affiliates, and the companies have added even more benefits over the years.

Both programs have allowed for Harvard affiliates to travel to destinations less easily accessible by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority services.

Joe A. Paul ’17 said that he and his roommates in Straus Hall rented bikes this fall to visit Market Basket, a grocery store in Somerville.

Though their ride was fully funded by Hubway using coupons for a 24-hour free trial, Paul said he would use the bikes again for spontaneous trips that are “too far for walking and too short for the T.”

Harvard has invested largely in Boston’s bike share company since the program’s launch in April 2012. So far, the University has funded 12 Hubway stations in the area, which each cost about $50,000. These stations include a location behind Annenberg, one outside of the Holyoke Center, and most recently, at the Quad.

While Hubway and Zipcar provide different transportation services, the two companies have similar business models in which users pay a membership fee plus time-based usage fees.

Since the launch of Hubway’s Harvard affiliate discount in May 2013, 684 members of the Harvard community have taken advantage of the 40 percent reduced price, according to Colin B. Durrant, a spokesperson for the Office for Sustainability. An annual membership for Hubway’s services is discounted for Harvard students and faculty at $50, compared to the normal cost of $85.

Zipcar, which was founded in Cambridge in 2000, has been offering a student discount since 2003. Membership fees are $15 for Harvard students, plus the hourly rates of $7.43 after joining. Daily fees are $84 for non-members. Both gas and insurance prices are included in the Zipcar rental fees.

Harvard was the first school in the region to adopt the Under-21 program, which allows students to rent Zipcars at 18, according to Benjamin A. Hammer, Commuter Choice Program coordinator.

Currently, there are 32 frequently-rented cars on Harvard’s campus eligible for the Under-21 program.

According to Hammer, there are over 10,000 active Zipcar accounts associated with a Harvard email address, thanks to the partnership between the University and the company. Over 1,100 of those members are under 21, according to Durrant.

To promote sustainable transportation and encourage more students to join the program, Ana Dorsey, a marketing coordinator at the Boston Zipcar office, said Sidewalk Sam, a street artist, will design parking spaces on Harvard’s campus to be reserved for Zipcar use only.