Easy Riders
Ohio Wesleyan University students and employees who need access to a car for quick trips, no longer have to spin their wheels looking for temporary transportation.
This fall, Ohio Wesleyan became part of Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s membership-based Enterprise CarShare program. Two cars parked on campus outside Smith Hall are now available to rent by the hour to enrolled CarShare members.
“The service is beneficial to the OWU community because it gives students 18 or older who have a driver’s license access to an on-campus vehicle at a very reasonable cost,” says Robert Wood, director of public safety.
Memberships cost students $35 per year, but they will receive $25 in driving credits when they enroll, making their initial sign-up just $10. Once they’ve received their membership cards, students are able to reserve online one of the two rental cars parked on campus, Wood says. The cars are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and they may be rented for as little as one hour or as long as several days. Gas expenses are included in the rental cost, and each day’s rental includes up to 200 miles free.
Wood believes the program offers an economical way for students to travel to the airport or other regional destinations. Up to five students are able to fit comfortably in the Toyotas.
“Most estimates say it costs a minimum of $400 or more per month to own even an economical vehicle,” Wood says, factoring in such things as depreciation, loan interest, insurance, registration, parking, maintenance, and fuel.
To help share information about the program and enroll new members, Enterprise has hired student Frida Hess ’14 as the CarShare brand ambassador. She administers logistics of the program and helps OWU students use this resource effectively.
“We at Enterprise have started working with many parts of the OWU community to integrate the program into campus life,” she says. “Hopefully it helps with the huge parking problem on campus. It saves students money and time, and the cars are sure to run – plus gas is already paid for!”
International students often don’t own vehicles and remain on campus during breaks, needing to venture off campus for food and fun.
“Renting per hour is cheaper than paying for a cab if I have to go somewhere around to get food or to the airport during breaks,” says Myrieum Ibrouk ’14 of Morocco.
Wood stressed that “it takes two weeks or more to get an access card in the mail, so it is very important that students sign up … well before they may want to reserve the cars.”
Learn more about the Enterprise CarShare program at www.enterprisecarshare.com/car-sharing/program/owu.