Luther College Goes Green With U Car Share: 24/7, Green-Transportation Options

DECORAH, Iowa, Jan. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- U Car Share and Luther College are launching the first U Car Share service in Iowa.  Building on the success of other partnerships, U Car Share is expanding its growth as it partners with Luther College. The launch of a new partnership with U Car Share provides students and faculty with access to North America's most advanced car-sharing service. Now, the students, faculty and staff of Luther College have more transportation options, allowing individuals to maintain a sustainable lifestyle in one cost-effective, convenient package. Each shared car takes 15-20 personally owned vehicles off the road, reduces parking congestion and improves air quality. Luther College is also getting vehicles fitted with U Care Share's new proprietary keypad technology.  

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"The environmental benefits are nearly endless," stated Cassandra Allen, U Car Share Program manager, "but the lifestyle change is where the greatest potential lies because of the lasting effect we can have on an individual's routine behavior. By car sharing, individuals eliminate the need to own a car, without giving up the flexibility a car provides," Allen continued. "People who car-share will increase their public transit usage while still having the convenience of a car when needed, and that's good for the whole community."

U Car Share placed two vehicles on campus, parked in highly visible reserved parking in the Library parking lot, central to residence halls and academic buildings (one Honda Insight Hybrid and a low-emission Ford Focus), available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students, faculty and staff members, 18 years of age and older.  U Car Share offers the lowest starting price point in the industry.  

"We're very excited at Luther College to be partnering with U Car Share to offer more sustainable transportation solutions to students, faculty, staff and community members," exclaimed Dan Bellrichard, Sustainability coordinator, Luther College.  "This car sharing program, in addition to our other transportation efforts, makes it easy for students to attend Luther without having to bring a car, yet still have the mobility a car offers."

For a limited time, new members can sign up with their Luther College e-mail address for FREE. Log on to ucarshare.com today and enter promotion code "Luther" at the time of application. (This promo code will expire on April 15, 2011.)

With a unique flexible-rate system, members are able to enjoy the benefits of driving without having to worry about overpaying for mileage.  Members pay only for what they use, in one low hourly rate starting at $4.95 per hour (plus $0.49 per mile).  For those who drive longer distances, U Car Share also offers rates with 180 free miles, starting at $8.50 per hour, depending on the vehicle.  Gas, insurance, maintenance, reserved parking spots and 24/7 roadside assistance are included in the hourly and daily rates.  Reserve a car for as little as an hour or for up to six days.

For more information about U Car Share, log on to ucarshare.com or call 1-877-990-8227.

About U-Haul

Since 1945, U-Haul has been the best choice for the do-it-yourself mover, with a network of more than 15,800 locations in all 50 United States and 10 Canadian provinces. U-Haul customers' patronage has enabled the U-Haul fleet to grow to approximately 101,000 trucks, 76,000 trailers and 34,000 towing devices. U-Haul offers more than 395,000 rooms and approximately 35 million square feet of storage space at nearly 1,090 owned and managed facilities throughout North America. U-Haul is the consumer's number one choice as the largest installer of permanent trailer hitches in the automotive aftermarket industry. U-Haul supplies alternative-fuel for vehicles and backyard barbecues as one of the nation's largest retailers of propane.

U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up in the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."  Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100 percent biodegradable.  Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability and www.youtube.com/watch?v=j304SJsKBB8.

SOURCE U-Haul