Why was the Zipcar at the JFK/Umass T station in Dorchester removed without any kind of warning? Was it underutilized? Do you do this with cars in other locations?

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2004

Answers

I emailed yesterday (9/15) and got the answer that the car was a trial, although kept longer than many (10 months), but that it was one of the most under-utilized in the fleet.

I am extremely disappointed. Not only was there no notice to its regular users they were going to discontinue the car (which would have been thoughtful), but no notice at all that this was a trial car. It makes me want to cancel my membership, because the convenience of that car location was a huge part of the reason I joined. It seemed like every time I wanted to use it, someone else had it out (and I had to go to other Zipcars). The car was out often enough that T employees used the empty parking space!

I live on Savin Hill, and they are redoing the T station until at least early 2005. It takes me 10 minutes to walk to JFK; it takes about 30-45 minutes to get to Ashmont (or anywhere else, for that matter) to get a Zipcar.

I would think that a customer-oriented company like Zipcar would have been better about notifying its customers about changes like this. Also, if they are trying to keep the customers it has, why short-change them in up-and-coming neighborhoods? Maybe they'll find a "better" location, but when, and where? Sorry this is so long and rant-y. I just don't know where to direct the energy! Thanks.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2004

Hi, I just wanted to update.

Program manager Larry Slotnik & I just had a good conversation about the JFK/UMass car that was very supportive, informative, and interesting about what makes some locations work and what doesn't.

Zipcar isn't abandoning Dorchester, or necessarily the JFK area. (Yay!) The location at the JFK/UMass T just didn't get the support it needed from the MBTA or the business/ reservations during the week to balance out the cost of insuring/maintaining the car (which didn't occur to me but makes sense), even though it did really well on the weekends. Zipcar is persuing other options at other T stations, possibly the newly renovated Dorchester T stops.

Thanks again, Larry, and to Zipcar.

-- Anonymous, September 16, 2004

That is good news, Tracey. I was also a loyal JFK/UMass user and wrote an irate e-mail to them last night similar to your rant above. After I sent it, I began to wonder if it was really the MBTA that was giving them a hard time since there isn't a lot of parking over there. I'm willing to suffer the inconvenience of Ashmont for the time being if there's a chance a new and closer location will pop up in the future. Let's hope it all works out!

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2004

So far at least three "Zipsters" are unhappy with your decison to remove this car without notice (it might be the lack of notice that's the most aggravating thing). They've even threatened to quit their memberships. No one has written in yet to applaud you for it.

The Zipcar at the JFK/UMass T station was not used very much during weekdays probably because it was not parked in a residential area or near any businesses. It was parked near a subway station, which is good, but in a parking spot that one had to get to by crossing a dark and dingy parking lot under I-93 and then going up and down stairs through the T station. Not exactly "just blocks away" as claimed in the FAQ section on Zipcars web page.

When my girlfriend, who I convinced to join Zipcar last year, asked Zipcar why there were not more cars in Dorchester, she was told that (according to Zipcars studies) people in Dorchester all own cars so there was no need for Zipcar yet. Well, car ownership in Jamaica Plain, the South End, and Somerville is very high (parking permits are at a premium there) yet they have many Zipcars. What's wrong with this picture?

-- Anonymous, September 17, 2004