Zipcar in Dallas and B Cycle in Fort Worth give residents options in getting around town
PILOT PROGRAM | Two imports are parked at the Oak Lawn Branch of the Dallas Public Library and in other locations downtown. (David Taffet/Dallas Voice)
Need to run a quick errand and don’t have a car? Then check out a car at the Oak Lawn branch of the Dallas Public Library.
But you’ll need more than just your library card.
Zipcar, touting itself as “the world’s largest car sharing and car club service,” opened shop in Dallas in September, with cars stationed around town, including in Oak Lawn. Two Zipcar vehicles are parked at the Dallas Public Library branch on Cedar Springs Road.
Zipcar spokeswoman C.J. Himberg said her company’s car sharing program aims to compete with private car ownership, not rental cars.
To help decide whether participating makes sense, Zipcar has a calculator on its website to compare the cost of car ownership with its program. The two cars stationed at the library cost $9 per hour, or $73 per day. Cars on the Southern Methodist University campus begin at $7.50 per hour, or $69 per day.
If car sharing is the right way to go, fill out an application and pay the $25 application fee. Then there’s a $60 annual membership, but insurance is included and gas is free.
Once your membership is approved, you’ll get a card in the mail. With a reservation — made via phone app or on online — the card unlocks the car. Before taking off with the car, do a quick walk around to check for any damage then drive off.
COWTOWN RIDE | Fort Worth is ahead of Dallas in its bike sharing program.
(Photo courtesy Cassie Quinn)
“There’s a gas card in the visor,” Himberg said. “Leave at least a quarter tank.”
She also said cars must be returned on time because if one member is using the car until noon, another may be waiting to pick it up at that time.
“We use the round-trip model,” Himberg said.
Cars borrowed at the library must be returned to the library. So a car can’t be picked up at one location and dropped at another.
Because apartment construction in Oak Lawn continues at a record pace but no additional parking capacity is being added to the streets, the city is looking for ways to cut down on the number of cars coming into the neighborhood.
Himberg said each Zipcar in its fleet replaces 15 privately owned cars.
The first locations are in and around Councilman Adam Medrano’s district, which includes downtown Dallas.
“Zipcar gives residents a unique option to get around by the hour or the day,” Medrano said.
He said the city is looking for innovative transportation options including bike lanes and bike sharing. Medrano, who serves on the bike task force, said he expects a bike sharing program to come online within a year.
Fort Worth is ahead of Dallas in bike sharing.
Fort Worth Bike Sharing Sales Manager Tim Halden said the city has 35 bike share stations with 300 bikes. That will increase soon to 45 stations with 400 bikes.
To become a member of Fort Worth Bike Sharing, go online to FortWorthBikeSharing.org to fill out an application. Membership ranges from $8 for 24 hours to $80 a year. Senior citizens, military and students get a $15 per year discount.
Bikes are located downtown, the Near Southside, Cultural District and on the Texas Christian University campus.
Once you get your membership card in the mail, select a bike from any B-station, ride to your destination and return the bike to any B-station.
The first 30-minute share is free. The next 30 minutes is $1.50. Each additional 30 minutes is $3. Annual members get the first hour free.
If you go to get a bike and the station is empty, the kiosk screen directs you to the next nearest B-station with bikes. If the B-station is full when you go to return the bike, you get time credit on your card to get the bike to the nearest station with an available dock.
Halden called Fort Worth’s program “healthy and robust.”
The city purchased its turnkey program from a company called B Cycle. Anyone with an annual membership in Fort Worth can also bike share in other cities supplied by B Cycle — including Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
Halden said he’s hoping Dallas picks up the same program. That way, someone may borrow a bike in Fort Worth, drop it at one of the two downtown train stations, take the TRE to Dallas, transfer to DART and pick up a bike at any rail station to ride to a final location.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition October 10, 2014.