The Hertz Corp. announced in a Feb. 2 press release the expansion of its car-sharing fleet in the greater Washington, D.C. area, growing its car sharing program, Hertz On Demand in the nation's capital.

The program includes a range of cars — from electric vehicles, available at Union Station, and compacts to sedans and SUVs available both in parking garages, outdoor spaces and in 23 on-street parking spots.

Hertz On Demand vehicles will be available in all eight wards of the District including Union Station, Adams Morgan, Connecticut Avenue NW, Pennsylvania Avenue SE, Anacostia, H St. NE, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Columbia Heights, Takoma, Cleveland Park, Friendships Heights, Georgetown and South Capitol Street. As the program expands, additional locations will be opened throughout the city and surrounding suburbs, including Virginia and Maryland.

Local residents and visitors can sign up online, and start reserving cars from one of Hertz On Demand's locations to experience the member benefits including:

• Free membership. Hertz On Demand has no enrollment fee or annual membership fee, and offers low hourly and daily rates.

• Rental fleet options will include the Nissan Altima, Mercedes C300, Mitsubishi Endeavor, Cadillac CTS, Fiat 500, Chevy Cruze, Chevy Malibu, Mazda 2, Mazda 3 and Jeep Patriot. All-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, including the smart fortwo electric drive and Nissan LEAF,  are also available at Union Station as part of the Hertz Global EV program. The U.S. fleet includes luxury cars, including the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia; and cars suitable for moving, including the Ford Transit Connect and the Nissan Titan pick-up truck.

• 180 miles a day, gas and insurance included in rates.

• Daily rates on Hertz rental car for longer trips; Ability to rent a car for up to 30 days.

• 24/7 live, in-car assistance from a team of Hertz Member Care experts.

• No late fees. Hertz On Demand members will not receive punitive charges/late fees for the late return of a vehicle.

Hertz On Demand has approximately 120,000 members, is available in six countries and on approximately 60 university campuses. Overall, Hertz On Demand offers its members products and services that make it viable option over car ownership, including:

• Guaranteed vehicle availability Monday through Thursday in New York City

• One-way car sharing rentals between 175 locations in the Northeast U.S.                              

• Simplified reservation process. Hertz On Demand has a newly redesigned member website, www.HertzOnDemand.com, with a simplified reservation process, including one-way map routing and reservations, enhanced search capabilities, faster page load times and enhanced details about car makes and models

Upon enrolling, members receive a smart-chip enabled card which gives them keyless entry to any reserved car. In the vehicle, a hands-free audio kit connects members to an in-house Member Care Center representative should they have questions, need assistance or need to extend their reservation.

Hertz On Demand is able to "communicate" with the vehicle, enabling representatives to unlock, engage and locate vehicles, and cars are equipped with iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, for hands free driving, as well as EZ Pass transponders.

Hertz also offers companies tailored solutions which are designed to meet the demands of today's businesses. Shared cars can be used for professional purposes, including trips to nearby offices and off-site business meetings. Additionally, businesses can give employees a money-saving perk by offering Hertz on Demand cars at work, making cars available for personal usage.