A few months ago we realized Miami was missing out on the benefits of car sharing and asked, “Dude where’s my Zipcar?” As proponents of this easy car sharing program we were disappointed to see that it wasn’t more widely used in our region, although Miami Beach and the University of Miami recently became proponents of this useful transit tool. Students are a great place to start introducing the benefits of car sharing, as Zipcar is inexpensive and accessible to people on limited budgets. I wonder when our other local universities, self-proclaimed centers of research and academic excellence, will adopt similar programs.
Zipcar, and other similar car sharing programs are seeking to expand their efficiency in urban settings with a new wave of vehicles called the CityCar. A team of researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab has recently experimented with small electric motors located in the wheels of this tiny, nimble and practically silent vehicle. The CityCar has wheels that turn 360 degrees, enabling it to slip neatly into tight urban parking spaces. A Smartcar that is designed to stack like a supermarket cart when not in use, the CityCar is aptly named because its unique maneuvering ability will allow parking in front of subway stations and office buildings, where people could squeeze in as needed for short-term use.
So, dude where’s my CityCar?
I love this idea but what’s to keep some of Miami’s “residentially challenged” inhabitants from making off with and/or spending the night in these vehicles?
Do you know when they’re expecting to get roll out this system at UM and Miami Beach? I want this service on the mainland. Downtown/Little Havana would be perfect.
In response to the comment concerning “residentially challenged” individuals spending the night in the car, all Zipcars are operated by a smartcard system. To enter the Zipcar for instance, you hold your card up to the windshield, which unlocks the car. http://www.zipcar.com/how/