WeCar program to be introduced at Centre this fall
April 19, 2012 By Elizabeth Trollinger
introduce the WeCar initiative on campus this fall. The car-
sharing program will allow students to rent one of two cars
on either an hourly or daily basis.
Beginning this fall, Centre, in partnership with Enterprise Rent-a-Car, will introduce the WeCar initiative as a new means of transportation for students. The car-sharing program will allow students 18 and older to rent one of two cars on either an hourly or daily basis, with a fuel card included in the cost.
“Hopefully, the WeCar will have a positive impact on campus through increased access to the community for students as well as having the potential to alleviate some of the parking congestion we encounter,” says Kendrick Durham, Director of Campus Activities. “This will also hopefully lessen the burden on Centre families who may be concerned about their students needing to bring a car to campus.”
Centre’s WeCar program is among the first programs of its kind in the state, with only the University of Louisville establishing a similar initiative this fall. Other participants in the WeCar program include corporations like Google and colleges and universities like Princeton, Carleton and Washington University in St. Louis.
Enterprise’s Danville branch will supply two cars and provide maintenance for Centre’s WeCar program, which is only available for students. The only prerequisites for renting a WeCar, besides being 18 and older, are a valid driver’s license and insurance.
“Overall, access is the biggest positive about this program. Students can sign up for this service and fill a gap that we have previously been unable to fill in Danville,” Durham says. “The service is very affordable, especially when compared to the costs of owning and maintaining a vehicle. I believe students will feel a sense of newfound freedom once they have this option available.”
To participate in the WeCar program, students will need to register on Centre’s WeCar website, which will become available later this year. Upon approval, students will be sent a personal proxy card, necessary for access to the vehicle since the keys remain locked in the car while not in use.
After reserving a WeCar online, students must simply wave their proxy cards over a transponder in the window of the vehicle, which will unlock the car and begin the rental time. The cars remain immobilized until the correct card is scanned. An electronic invoice will be sent once the car is returned at the end of the rental time.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car will provide a 24-hour helpline for the WeCar program in the case that students need assistance.
The WeCar program is part of Enterprise’s Keys to Green initiative, and also demonstrates Centre’s commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability. Car-sharing will reduce Centre’s carbon footprint by potentially diminishing the number of cars on campus and the number of single occupancy commutes students make, and will also positively affect parking congestion on campus.
To read more about Centre’s sustainability efforts, click here.
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Centre College, founded in 1819 and chosen to host its second Vice Presidential Debate in 2012, is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges, at 42nd in the nation, and ranks 27th for best value among national liberal arts colleges. Forbes magazine ranks Centre 34th among all the nation’s colleges and universities and has named Centre in the top five among all institutions of higher education in the South for three years in a row. Centre is also ranked fourth in the nation by U.S. News for its study abroad program. For more, click here.