Ohio University has signed a contract with Enterprise Rent-A-Car to offer a car-sharing program for students on the Athens campus for one year.
After passing the application process and paying the program’s user fee, students will be able to rent either a Ford Fiesta or Honda Civic after completing an application and paying the program’s user fee.
“(This program) has real potential at Ohio University,” said Ryan Lombardi, interim vice president for Student Affairs. “And the nature of the community — they care about these types of things. I don’t think you need a car to have a good life. But this creates a nice alternative to someone who wants to go to Walmart and get some groceries.”
In the application, drivers must show proof of a valid driver’s license and a clean driving record. Once approved, they must pay $35 for the application fee which will be used as driving credit, Lombardi said.
Cars will cost $9 an hour on a weekday, $10 an hour on a weekend and $35 overnight, from 6 p.m.–8 a.m. Insurance coverage is included in this fee, Lombardi said.
In order to enter the car, students will swipe their membership cards that they receive in the mail. Students can then access the keys in the glove box.
Students will reserve the cars online, which will be parked in parking lot 120, across from Baker University Center.
Students will be asked to fill the car with gas once it gets to be a quarter of a tank or less and use the gas credit card, which is also in the glove box, Lombardi said.
Enterprise's agreement requires OU to make $1,100 a month in revenue. If OU is unable to meet that figure, the university must pay back the difference between $500 and $1,100.
However, if OU earns more than $1,100 each month, it is able to keep 10 percent of the extra revenue.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
