Zipcar Draws the Short Straw
Washington D.C. opens up its car sharing market, allowing representatives from four companies to draw straws for allocation of parking spots.
After the Washington D.C. District Department of Transportation announced it would open up the District's car-sharing market by letting companies bid on the parking spaces, bids came in from Hertz, Daimler, and Enterprise. The process means car-sharing company Zipcar could lose 80 percent of its reserved parking spaces in Washington D.C. this fall, according to WJLA-TV.
The bidding had a minimum price of $3,600 per space, according to TBD On Foot, which added that Zipcar has been the only car-sharing service in the District since 2007.
Apparently, equal bids came in from Hertz, Daimler, and Enterprise, so representatives for the companies drew straws for allocation of parking spots.
Zipcar currently rents 84 spaces in the District for $200 each per year. With the draw of straws, Zipcar only received 12 spaces.
A Zipcar manager in D.C. said she was surprised that the city only took into account the price of the bid.
The change, however, only affects less than 10 percent of Zipcar's fleet. Zipcar operates 865 cars in the metro area.
More Rental Operations
Stop Losing Money On Rental Tolls
Regardless of your rental fleet size and structure, fleet managers, executives, and owners can gain valuable insights into an often-overlooked area of fleet operations.
Read More →
Rethink The Future To Avert A Race To The Bottom
Rental car operators heard a sobering industry message and a stern challenge at the close of the International Car Rental Show.
Read More →
DriveItAway, Free2move Plan Shared Fleet Program for Independent Rental Fleet Operators
Vehicles would be placed with participating rental operations to support car renter demand and provide additional fleet capacity.
Read More →
Stellantis Recalls 1.3 Million Jeep Vehicles Worldwide Over Fire Risk
Stellantis is recalling more than 1.3 million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models worldwide over a fire risk linked to power steering pump wiring.
Read More →
Green Motion And U-Save Open Rental Operations In Guatemala
The brands will open their first rental car outlets in the country at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City.
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Drives $623 Billion+ in Economic Impact as Spending Reaches $538 Billion
The data also underscores the industry’s strong multiplier effect across the U.S. economy, revealing that each dollar invested in business travel in 2024 generated $1.16 in GDP.
Read More →
Rental Fleet Sales Skating Just Above 2025 Levels
The U.S. economy's continued growth and positive business investment are creating a favorable environment for fleet vehicle demand.
Read More →
Grow Your Rental Business Beyond Cars
Rental fleet operations are facing numerous evolving challenges and opportunities from AI technology to rate and revenue management, to customer service and business growth.
Read More →
Using AI to Create Clarity, Not Conflict, in Rental Car Damage
Rental companies still need people, policy, judgment, and thoughtful implementation, with operators remaining in control of the customer experience.
Read More →
Get Ready To Roll: No Stopping Self-Driving Rental Cars
The autonomous mobility technology revolution will move at its own pace, but sooner rather than later.
Read More →