Students can now set aside that CTA UPass and enjoy the luxury of driving a car to class, thanks to DePaul’s new partnership with Zipcar. The car-sharing program is now available in both Lincoln Park and Loop campuses for all DePaul faculty, staff and students who are 18 or older.

Normally, Zipcar only accepts members who are over the age of 21. But with its affiliations to universities across the country, the minimum age to rent a car has been changed to 18 to allow most college students to partake in the service.

For penny-pinching college students, Zipcar is an opportunity to save money and be on time. Students who are struggling to make it to job interviews and commute from their apartments to campus now have a viable alternative to public transportation.

Student can join Zipcar for $15 in the first year, and rent Zipcars for $8 an hour or $73 a day, according to a DePaul Newsline article. After the first year, the membership fee will increase to $25. Zipcar’s rates cover gasoline, car insurance, and 180 miles driven.

DePaul student Tori Meschino said Zipcar fits into DePaul’s image as a “green” campus. “It seems like a good option, especially for students who aren’t enrolled in enough classes to get a UPass,” said Meschino.

Zipcar Chicago general manager Charles Stevens believes the partnership between Zipcar and DePaul has been a long time coming.

“There wasn’t a specific trigger that generated the idea,” said Stevens. “Rather, we had had success for several years preceding the partnership with on campus marketing events, DePaul area member growth and other business performance metrics which gave us reason to believe that an on-campus, 18+ relationship would enable a whole new level of options we could bring students, faculty and staff at DePaul.”

Zipcar’s “Students with Drive” program grants certain students free Zipcar memberships and driving credit in order to support on-campus student organizations. This gives DePaul’s student-run organizations the opportunity to receive free, efficient transportation.

Zipcar has given five vehicles to the Lincoln Park campus. These vehicles can be found in the campus parking lot, 936 W. Fullerton Ave., underneath the Fullerton CTA stop. Zipcars available for rent include Ford Focus, Honda Civic and Mazda 3 vehicles. More Zipcars are also available in the Loop campus.

For the smartphone-carrying student, Zipcar also offers a mobile app that allows members to reserve cars, lock or unlock vehicles and honk the horn to find a car.

DePaul student Dan Weise said he “would definitely use” the Zipcar program. “It’s a good way to save money and it’s convenient,” said Weise. “It’s not always easy for a college student to get around and this is a practical way.”