The Mini Cooper gone. The Prius is unavailable as well.
But Connect by Hertz at Illinois State University is still hanging on with a Ford Escape Hybrid. I wrote about the program several months ago. In that time Hertz has decided to rebrand it as Hertz on Demand. As bicycle commuter, I ride everyday to work, except when too cold (20-degrees or colder), snowy or icy and then I use a B-NPTS bus. Sometimes, though, I need to run an errand during the day and that’s where Hertz on Demand comes in. After enrolling, you can reserve a car for about 10 bucks an hour, gas and insurance included.
But this key part of my sustainable transportation puzzle is threatened by low usage. Connect By Hertz vehicles were only used used about 19% of the time they were available. If it drops lower, it’ll be hard to convince Hertz to keep the program at ISU. On the flip side, if usage increases 11% (for an average use rate of 30%), Hertz will consider returning the Toyota Prius.
So, if you’re a biker or use the bus…or maybe you’re dropped off by a spouse and sometimes need a car during the day, consider Hertz on Demand. If not for yourself, do it for me so I can continue to use the program.
You can find the Ford Escape Hybrid in the Alamo II parking lot in the center aisle near the street — right next to an empty spot once used for the Mini Cooper. I like that ISU officials have not removed the extra parking space, apparently confident Hertz on Demand usage will rise and the Toyota Prius will return.
Mike McCurdy is WGLT Program Director and co-coordinates the community sustainable transportation project Good To Go.
Here is the deal, if you are not signed up now, go to hertzondemand.com and click Join for Free, then use the promo code Join 15. you will then get 15.00 off your first rental. The hourly fee includes everything, insurance, fuel. for 8.00 and hour plus tax. So just for signing up you have almost 2 hours of free driving. Please sign up today and save our car sharing program.
Seems like a good program to me. If the winter is going to be as harsh as the Pantagraph wrote about today, I might need such a service for when my bike and the bus can’t get me where I want.