City Signs Deal With Zipcar

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 4, 2011 3:00PM

Now here's an idea of outsourcing of government services in which we see some promise. The Daley Administration signed a deal with Zipcar that will remove 100 vehicles from Chicago's non-emergency fleet and save the city an estimated $400,000 by the end of 2012.

Daley had previously tried to reduce the number of take home vehicles to city managers in favor of a program in which they shared leasing, insurance maintenance costs and paying for their own fuel. Fleet Management Commissioner Pat Harney said in a press release, "Car sharing will further our ongoing efforts to reduce expense by enabling several employees from various departments and shifts to use the same vehicle. This Zipcar program will produce both immediate and long-term savings in vehicle purchase costs, fuel and maintenance."

In order to reserve a Zipcar, city managers and workers will need to state the nature of their reservation into the GPS-monitored vehicles. Outsourcing non-emergency vehicles to a car sharing service like Zipcar is also something that Mayor-elect Emanuel championed during his campaign, along with switching the city's fleet to more fuel-efficient vehicles, and promoting bicycle and mass-transit alternatives.