Archive: UCSF Partners with City CarShare Program

UCSF Rideshare program has negotiated a partnership with the San Francisco nonprofit City CarShare, and is offering a reduced-cost membership for UCSF faculty, students and staff. UCSF departments or individuals must sign up by Saturday, March 31, 2007, to receive the promotional package that consists of no application fee ($30), no annual fee ($25), no monthly fee ($35) and no deposit ($300). City CarShare members would pay only a per-use charge of $4 per hour and 44 cents per mile. Gas and insurance are included. For sign-ups after March 31, only the $25 annual fee will be applied. City CarShare members can reserve a short-term rental of the more than 80 cars available around the Bay Area, including seven cars at multiple UCSF locations. Cars reserved from UCSF locations receive free parking at all UCSF campuses. Residents who live near UCSF also have access to the cars, but not at the reduced rate, according to Chris Weeks, UCSF Rideshare coordinator. "Along with cleaner air, the community benefits because there is less traffic, UCSF departments benefit because they save on subsidized parking permits, and it's convenient for people who carpool, bike or take the bus to UCSF because they have access to a car if they need to do errands at lunch," says Weeks. "Our hope is that once you've tried City CarShare, maybe you'll think, 'Hey, I can live without a car.' It's a baby step to car independence."

How to use City CarShare:

1. Sign up for a departmental or individual account by March 31, 2007.

2. Fill out an application and reserve cars at the City CarShare website

3. Take the car for the reserved time.

4. The department or the driver's credit card is charged, depending on whether the rental is work-related or for personal use. The bill includes pick-up and drop-off times, so departments can keep track of use.

In operation since 2001, City CarShare is based on the premise that fewer cars on the road lead to less air pollution, reduced traffic and parking problems, reduced dependence on oil and an improved quality of life in crowded cities. Since UCSF campuses are located in densely populated areas where parking is limited, Weeks encourages people to walk, bike or take buses when commuting to or visiting UCSF. Currently, seven City CarShare cars are available at these UCSF locations: three cars at Parnassus and one car each at Laurel Heights, Mount Zion, Mission Bay, and the Mission Center Building. "The cars are new, well taken care of, washed and cleaned regularly," says Weeks. "The more interest we have in the program, the more cars we'll get. Our goal is to use all hybrids as we move forward." This partnership was developed in response to mandates by the University of California Office of the President and goals of the UCSF Sustainability Committee to offer alternative means of transportation and establish sustainable transportation programs. To this end, a second car share program, Zipcar, also will be available by March 2007. Sustainability Efforts Other sustainable transportation programs at UCSF include the intercampus shuttle bus service, which currently has 2.1 million boardings per year, and the campus Rideshare program, which coordinates five buses from Marin County and 50 vanpools from across the Bay Area to UCSF. To encourage biking to UCSF, there are two new bike cages able to house 250 bikes each, located on the bottom floor of the parking garage at Mission Bay. These secure cages have cameras and 24-hour electric key card access. Weeks has invited local artists, such as Ferris Plock, to paint murals inside the cages.

City CarShare staff member Keri Rumley enjoys driving the MINI Cooper.

In the coming year, another bike cage will be installed at Mount Zion, large enough to house 100 bikes. Also, Weeks has arranged for two Bike Trees to be installed, most likely at the Mission Bay and Parnassus campuses. Bike Trees are 15-foot tall, solar-electric, bike-share storage systems that will allow UCSF students, faculty and staff to reserve bikes online, in a way similar to reserving City CarShare cars. This bike fleet will be part of a network of bikes available at the Embarcadero BART Station and the Caltrain Station at 4th and King Streets, to allow commuters from these stations to bike to and from UCSF. These Bike Trees will be the first to be installed in North America. For more information about alternative forms of transportation at UCSF, contact Chris Weeks at 415/476-1513. Photo/Eric Hunt