WATERVILLE -- Colby College senior Patrick Boland never seriously considered having a car on campus.

The idea of driving a car more than 3,000 miles from his Los Angeles home struck him as silly.

And even if he were a student from a nearby town, there would be the numerous costs -- insurance, repairs, maintenance, gas -- of operating a vehicle to consider.

But Boland, Colby's student government president, won't be without wheels in his final year on Mayflower Hill. In fact, he'll have his choice of a Honda CR-V and a Honda Civic hybrid.

Such is the benefit of Zipcar, the car-sharing service that has more than 200,000 members in 50 markets in the United States, Europe and Canada.

After paying a $35 annual fee, a Colby student can gain access to a Zipcar for $7 an hour or $60 a day and get 180 miles of free mileage over a 24-hour period -- rates vary depending on the program.

Zipcar incorporates wireless technology and Internet reservations and payments. Members are given a card that enables them to unlock the Zipcar at their assigned time. Keys are left in the car.

At the end of the reserved hour or day, the member simply parks the car in its reserved spot and walks away.

"I've had friends who have used (Zipcars)," Boland said, "and they have been extremely happy with them."

Bates last fall became the first Maine college to offer a Zipcar program as part of the company's University Partner Program. University of Maine came next.

And this year Zipcar will launch programs at Colby, Bowdoin and the University of New England.

"We are helping to pay the start-up costs," Boland said of Colby student government association, "and essentially we'll be making sure the student body knows about it. So, yes, we are definitely endorsing it and are behind it."

The history

Zipcar began to roll out cars in 2000, focusing first on big cities where owning a car often can be more a hassle than a convenience.

But owning is the operative word.

Having access to a car is much different than owning a car.

Zipcar provides that access without the ownership.

The service differs significantly from traditional rental companies in several respects.

Ease and efficiency is No. 1.

Zipcar is structured to allow for one-hour rentals with no headaches. Reservations are made via computer and the pick-up requires no salesperson or paperwork.

Every Zipcar has a gas card on board for drivers to use whenever necessary. Roadside assistance also is provided around the clock.

Maria Martinez, a Zipcar spokeswoman, said the University Partner Program is the latest initiative from the company and is quickly gaining popularity.

Martinez said the number of college programs will jump from 70 to 90 this fall.

Colleges that participate provide an administrative contact.

Kelly Pinney-Michaud is the contact person at Colby.

So far, she said, 15 students have signed up for the program -- and this is with only a small fraction of the student body back from summer break.

Pinney-Michaud said Colby signed up for Zipcar primarily to provide a transportation option for students.

Yet there is an environmental motivation as well, she said. Zipcar claims that each one of its vehicles serves dozens of people and takes 20 personally-owned cars off the road.

Boland said he likes the idea of reducing the need for parking spaces at Colby.

"That is one of the reasons I really wanted to see (a Zipcar program here)," he said, "because we have a dearth of parking spaces on campus for students."

Bates' experience

Concern for the environment is one reason Bates started a Zipcar program, according assistant dean of students Keith Tannenbaum.

"Bates was named one of the top 11 environmentally-conscious colleges in the country," Tannenbaum said, "and the Zipcar is part of that."

(Princeton Review and ecoAmerica, a nonprofit environmental marketing agency, developed the criteria on which colleges were rated.)

Tannenbaum said 235 people -- most of them students -- signed up for the program last fall. He doesn't expect the numbers to be quite as strong this fall because the special introductory offer has expired.

Still, he expects those who do become members this school year will use the Zipcars -- Bates has two Toyota Priuses available -- more frequently.

For a student without a car, Tannenbaum said, the service is a cheap and convenient way to take a trip to the Maine Mall -- a 45-minute trip from Bates' Lewiston campus.

Tannenbaum would love to see a world where every college student became a Zipcar member, given that such a world would have cleaner air and far fewer parking lots.

But Tannenbaum said the allure of car ownership remains powerful.

"I think in an ideal world (car sharing) would absolutely be the best-case scenario," he said, "but I think the reality is students like the convenience of having their own vehicle."

Colin Hickey -- 861-9205

chickey@centralmaine.com