February 23, 2001

The perky green Volkswagen seen zipping in and out of the Fruit Street Garage recently may be a convenient solution for MGHers who don't own a car or who don't want to drive their own car to work. It's the MGH's latest transportation incentive for employees — the Zipcar.

Zipcar is the name of a local company that offers a membership to access private vehicles for short-term, round-trip use, 24 hours a day. As an official sponsor of the citywide Zipcar program, the MGH has two Zipcars in the Fruit Street Garage.

"We're trying to offer alternatives for commuting other than getting in a car each day and driving to work," says Joe Crowley, manager of Outside Services for MGH Police and Security. "We hope that by offering the Zipcar for those days or evenings that employees need transportation for meetings or social engagements, they will reevaluate their commitment to commuting every day by car. The impact on their personal finances and the environment are causing more employees to seek commuting alternatives offered by the MGH."

The cost of the Zipcar membership includes: a $25 one-time application fee, $50 annual membership (reduced from the standard $75), $4.50/hour rental (at most locations), 40 cents per mile and a fully refundable security deposit of $300 to cover any mishaps, such as fender benders or parking tickets. The hourly charge is dropped between the hours of midnight and 6 am, so the driver pays only 40 cents per mile.

What do drivers get in return? A hassle-free ride without car owner anxieties such as insurance, maintenance, cleaning and skyrocketing gas prices (Zipcar provides a credit card to refill the gas tank).

The Zipcar is a good way to tool around for employees who have a meeting away from the hospital or want to spend an evening in town. To check the availability of the Zipcar, drivers can log onto the website at http://www.zipcar.com and reserve the car, much like they would check out a library book.

Courtney Koslow (pictured above), of the Bipolar Treatment Center in the MGH Psychiatry Department, is a Somerville resident who doesn't own a car, so she finds the Zipcar to be a valuable benefit. "Often I want to get out of the city on weekends or run an errand," she says. "I tend to think of it as my own. And the Volkswagens that make up the Zipcar fleet are fun to drive."

In addition to the Zipcar, the MGH offers other transportation options, including subsidies for the monthly T pass, van pools, a bike-to-work program and ride sharing. For more information, call 724-2819.