It took only a month for the traffic jams, insurance costs and parking woes of Cambridge to convince Katherine Watkins to sell her car when she moved from Kentucky. But after two years riding the bus and taking cabs, she finally broke down and got a car again. Some people don't need a car about 85 percent of the time,'' said co-founder Robin Chase. But they have to buy a whole car just to fill that tiny need. Zipcar, which opened this spring, is the first car-sharing service in Massachusetts.
Members get cards or keys to get into the cars, which are parked at a designated spot.
Reservations can be made online or over the phone, and the only rule is to get the car back on time. If the car is already booked, members either have to take an alternate car, or wait until the car they usually drive is available. Members can fill the gas tank with a company credit card. That can get pricey for people who drive long distances, or take the car for an overnight trip, Chase said. But for people who just need to go to the grocery store, a doctor's appointment or visit a friend out of town, car sharing may be cheaper than renting a car.