Grinnell College and Zipcar are bringing the car-sharing network to campus and the rest of town. 

Zipcar is popular among people who don’t want to own a car, but need one for occasional trips. 

Grinnell College sees the membership service as a part of its effort to meet sustainability goals by cutting down on the number of personal vehicles and parking spaces in Grinnell. 

Zipcar is a self-service operation available continuously. Students over age 18 can use it, as can other Grinnell residents who are over 21. Zipcars can be reserved for an hour or multiple days. Two Zipcars will be parked in the Great Western Bank parking lot along Sixth Avenue near Broad Street.

Grinnell College and local community members can join for $15, with rates starting as low as $7.50 per hour and $69 per day. There’s an app and a website for sign-up. Subsequent years each cost $35 for membership. Zipcar covers the cost of gas, insurance, parking, maintenance and up to 180 miles of driving per day. It’s easy to join online and make reservations either on Zipcar’s website or its mobile app.

Grinnell College President Raynard Kington said the college wants to be carbon-neutral by 2040.

Zipcar serves more than 600 colleges and universities, including Iowa State University and the University of Iowa.