Emily Ransom loves Zipcar

By Venus Zine Staff
Published: June 30th, 2009 | 12:00am

Gas prices got you down? Are your embarrassed about your emissions?

It is high time to ditch your four-wheeled beast of burden and get on the Zipcar wagon.

In 1999, female founders Antje Danielson and Robin Chase conceived the company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Basing their business model on that of German and Swiss car-sharing companies, Zipcar presently has over 6,000 vehicles available in 67 cities worldwide, making it the world's largest car-sharing service.

For me, Zipcar has been a lifesaver. Grocery shopping, moving, and picking people up from the airport can now happen with ease. The rampant popularity of Zipcar partially lies within the simplicity of use, a clean website and great customer service. The other component of their success are the people behind the wheel, or "Zipsters." With everyone working together to return the vehicles on time, with gas and in clean condition, Zipcar has created a community of conscious drivers who are in charge of maintaining the quality of their product.

For an annual fee of $50, you can rent one of Zipcar's clean, cute and conveniently located vehicles starting at $9.75 an hour. Behind the wheel, you have a gas card, insurance and 180 miles to go where you please; running your errands and saving the planet all in a day's work.

Get started at http://www.zipcar.com

Emily Ransom is a Venus Zine art and design contributor.