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On the practical side, as Jake pointed out, I-Go’s standard plus plan is a great deal and the price recently dropped to 8.25 (since I-Go’s a non-profit, any extra $$ leads to lower prices - I’m down with that).Īs for the pretty Zipcars: more cars, more costs in maintenance. I-Go costs less, has the potential to cost even less, is absurdly convenient for me, and I like the fact that they’re committed to hybrids. Both Zipcars and I-Go are in my neighborhood (actually in some of the same parking lots!), but I won’t switch. Or if the car lets you in in the first place. Extra points if you find a pen in the car.
#Zipcar chicago full
This time, though, why not switch it up a little and snail mail me?įor full effect, I suggest writing your rebuttal on the back of a trip receipt from the passenger seat of the Matrix you’ve so cleverly stowed in perhaps the darkest corner of the Millennium Park Parking Garage. When I compared the two car-sharing services in August, I was summarily dressed down by an I-GO staffer for not supporting the local non-profit service, on the shaky assumption that being a nonprofit somehow put them above reproach.īut should any I-GO staffers still be reading, know that I do welcome your thoughts on this posting. I’d simply like a little more modern technology in my day-to-day, thanks. Unfortunately, my past two months of additional experience with I-GO haven’t done anything to sway my opinion any closer towards that service. In August, when I first expressed my preference for Zipcar over I-GO, I favored the for-profit service because of its wide choice of vehicles versus I-GO’s restrictive fleet of Hondas (and primarily Civics, at that). Or, frankly, just not wanting to be bothered with it. Or forgetting to fill out the duplicative but necessary paperwork at the end of your trip. Any I-GO member who doesn’t have a lot of time to waste, especially during the workday, can probably commiserate with the experience of arriving for your reservation without something to write with and not finding a pen in the car.
Or even any need to fumble with keys outside the car.īasically, all you need do is remember your smart card and Zipcar takes care of the rest. As any automated car-sharing service should be in 2006. Unlike I-GO, Zipcar keeps track of your use of the car automatically, via a radio-frequency identification (RFID) system, so there’s no paperwork required. Use smart card to lock and unlock car during trip. Find key permanently hanging from steering wheel.Ħ. Here’s how our weekend Zipcar jaunts have panned out:Ĥ. Um, paper and pen? What year is this, 1996? Why on earth should I have to write down the details of a reservation that I-GO already has recorded in its booking system? Moreover, what good is a smart card that turns dumb the moment you start your trip?Īt home, Devyn’s a Zipcar member. Complain to colleagues for not choosing Zipcar. Pray that smart card locks car within 60 seconds of repeated tapping.ġ6. Write down gas level, odometer mileage, date, and time.ġ5. Ignore smart card and fumble with key to lock and unlock car for duration of trip.ġ4. Write down gas level, odometer mileage, member number, card number, date, and time.ġ2. Reach into glove compartment and fumble for book of paper trip receipts and pen.ĩ. Reach into glove compartment and fumble for key.ħ. Hold now merely alleged smart card firmly against reader for 60 seconds while cursing and tapping foot until car finally unlocks.Ħ. Tap smart card again on windshield card reader.Ĥ. Tap smart card on windshield card reader.ģ. Walk to dark corner in Millennium Park Parking Garage.Ģ. Our typical booking goes something like this:ġ. Unfortunately, my day job chooses the local nonprofit I-GO as their car sharing service of choice. Having been an occasional user (well ok, passenger, what with that whole never having learned to drive thing and all) of both of Chicago’s car sharing services over the past two months, the for-profit Zipcar’s ease of use is what stands out most. We stayed to hear “I’m a Believer” and then booked for all we were worth. We did what you’d probably have done, too. Of Monkees and Marcia Brady fame, yes, that Davy Jones.
#Zipcar chicago free
They did for Devyn and me, courtesy of a 35-mile Zipcar drive through the western hinterland, in the form of our accidental attendance at a free outdoor Davy Jones concert in Geneva. Little did I know when I opined on the absurdity of life last week that things would just get stranger come the weekend.
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