Most Penn students don’t have cars on campus. And generally, there’s not much need for them on a daily basis. It’s inconvenient and expensive to bring a car to school; parking is often difficult to find, and the prices of parking spaces and gas aren’t cheap.
Sometimes, though, students may want or need to take a drive — say, for a commute to a job or a trip to a furniture store or an outlet mall. But in the past, it’s been expensive for students to rent cars, especially if they are under 21.
That’s why we’re pleased that PhillyCarShare plans to offer a new rate plan for occasional drivers.
The recently announced Keystone Plan will allow members to pay a $35 annual fee with no monthly payments and no mileage fee for the first 185 miles of each reservation.
The plan is substantially less expensive than PhillyCarShare’s regular Philadelphia Plan. It is more accessible for undergraduates than Zipcar’s Occasional Driving Plan because PhillyCarShare allows drivers over the age of 19 to use its vehicles, compared to Zipcar’s minimum age of 21. And using PhillyCarShare is more environmentally friendly than using a car from home.
Philadelphia and its surrounding areas have a lot to offer students. But not everything is SEPTA-accessible or within walking distance. We hope students take advantage of PhillyCarShare’s new program and take more steps outside the Penn bubble.
