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Zipcar to offer short-term van rental in San Francisco

Zipcar to offer short-term van rental in San Francisco

Zipcar has announced a pilot in San Francisco that includes full size cargo vans through a new offering called Zipvan.

The vans will allow consumers to transport items too bulky for cars or pickup trucks, and give small businesses a new and more affordable option for transporting goods.

The pilot program is in response to the performance of the van service currently being offered by Zipcar’s UK operations and a Zipcar member survey indicating that nearly 40 per cent of members surveyed would be likely to use Zipvan if available.

Beginning earlier this month, Ford E-150 cargo vans are available in San Francisco for reservation by Zipcar members for hourly or daily use with rates starting from $14.75 per hour and $99 per day, which include gas, insurance, parking, roadside assistance and up to 180 miles of driving per day.

“Based on the success we have seen in London and the enthusiasm from our members expressed through our Zipcar member survey, we are thrilled to launch this pilot in San Francisco,” said Scott Griffith, chairman of Zipcar.

Zipcar has seen strong utilization of its cargo van service in London, which has been operating for more than three years as Streetvan (part of Streetcar, a company Zipcar acquired in 2010).

During this short-term pilot program in San Francisco, Zipcar will analyze the performance of Zipvan and member feedback on the program.

Based on these results, Zipcar may determine to launch the service in select United States and Canadian markets during 2012.