Car Sharing Arrives on US Campuses

Guest Post by Dr. Stacey Little, program director, Logistics and Transportation Management at American Public University

During a recent visit to Columbus, Ohio, I made a stop by The Ohio State University campus. I was surprised to see two-seater, blue and white car2go smart cars parked in various spots throughout campus. This was my first look at a transportation option that is a growing trend at campuses across the country.

Car2go is an on demand, street parking, one-way car sharing model. It is available to students, faculty, staff and visitors. Member benefits include free parking in car2go designated spots. In addition, students, faculty and staff can find an available car2go near them by using a smartphone app, searching the car2go website, or calling a customer service number. The rental fee is 38 cents per minute of use (not parked) and includes fuel and insurance.

Students, faculty and staff can also to travel off campus with car2go and park in designated spots throughout the city. When users get to their final destination, they park in any approved parking spot and leave the car for the next traveler.

Car sharing options have been in place for some time in major cities to help with congestion and limited parking but are somewhat new on college campuses. Since my visit to Ohio, I have found that there are other companies offering similar services on campuses. For instance, at Purdue University, students, faculty and staff have access to Zipcars.

Car sharing on campuses provides a transportation alternative, reduces the demand for on-campus parking, decreases congestion on campus streets, and demonstrates a concern for the environment. According to the The New York Times, last year nearly 800,000 people belonged to a car sharing service in the United States. It seems car sharing is a transportation alternative that is quickly catching on.

About the Author

Dr. Stacey Little is Program Director for the Transportation & Logistics Management program. She has over 12 years of experience in teaching in Business and Logistics in both the online and traditional format.  She has a Professional Designation in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and a Certification in Transportation and Logistics from the American Society of Transportation and Logistics. Her research interests are in the area of cultural influences on supply chain relationships​.