Buffalo CarShare brings travel options to students

Buffalo State is now partnering with Buffalo CarShare to make rental vehicles available to students and faculty on and off campus.

With a CarShare membership, residential and commuting students as well as professors and administrators have access to the two vehicles on campus - A Kia Soul in the M-2 parking lot, and a Toyota Prius located in C Lot. There are also other vehicles located in neighboring communities.

"It's convenient," says Creighton Randall, the executive director for Buffalo CarShare."It saves money."
 

Membership costs $5 a month through May 2013 for the first 100 students and the first 40 faculty members who sign up, and the cost of using the vehicles is $8 an hour. The membership and rental fees cover gas, insurance, and other expenses.
 

The cars are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for optimal convenience. Students may book a car up to three months in advance. Students may also use a CarShare iPhone app to locate a vehicle nearest to them.
 

The vehicles, provided by West Herr, will be maintained and cleaned by Buffalo CarShare. The two vehicles on campus are located in convenient places for students.
 

"We have big plans, but it's important to remember the basic appeal of this service," said Carrie Merritt, business development director for Buffalo CarShare. "I was a member for two years before I started to work here. It's incredibly convenient for those times when you really need a car."
 

Buffalo CarShare is a non-profit organization, started in early 2007 by four students at the University of Buffalo. It is through donations that they are able to keep this service running for the citizens of Buffalo.
 

"By putting cars on campus, Buffalo State is not only supporting students, they are supporting the community," says Randall.

Besides giving residential students an additional option for transportation, CarShare offers commuters the opportunity to avoid any circumstances that may leave them stranded at school.
 

"It's a right fit for our type of campus," said Mike LeVine, vice president of finance and management for Buffalo State. "The potential is there."

LeVine also said he hopes CarShare will help prevent many of the parking issues on campus.
 

"It [CarShare] meets so many of our presidents' desires for the campus," LeVine said.
 

In a press release, Buffalo CarShare estimated that as many as 30 parking spaces on campus could be freed through this partnership.
 

In addition to the convenience offered to students and faculty, Buffalo CarShare will contribute to a more environmentally friendly community.
 

The partnership will help people become less dependent upon owning separate vehicles, which will result in less carbon emissions.
 

"These are very fuel efficient cars with very low emissions," said Wende Mix, associate professor of geography and planning and chair of the Parking and Transportation Committee.
 

Students or faculty members interested in becoming a Buffalo CarShare member need a credit card and at least two years of licensed driving experience. Those who sign up within the next week will receive a T-shirt and be entered into a raffle to win Bengal Bucks.
 

To sign up, students and faculty need to go to the Buffalo CarShare web site and sign up using their Buffalo State email.
 

Britney Nowak can be reached by email at nowak.record@live.com.