Zipcar announces plans to expand Zipvan cargo van service across North America

Zipcar, Inc. announced plans to expand the company's Zipvan cargo van service across North America. Zipcar is launching the Zipvan service in Seattle, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Portland, Oregon, and will roll out the service to its remaining metro markets in North
America over the next 12 months.

"Our simple and convenient Zipvan service is changing how consumers and small businesses move and transport goods, much in the way Zipcar altered the way consumers view car ownership and traditional car rental," said Scott Griffith, Zipcar Chairman and CEO. "We believe the rapid growth of Zipvan in our pilot markets comes from our first-to-scale advantage and the convenience of Zipcar's member-focused 'wheels when you want them' approach."

The Zipvan service makes it easy to use cargo vans more frequently, so shopping trips involving large items, apartment moving or deliveries by business users are more convenient, efficient and affordable. Zipvan started in London and today accounts for over 10 per cent of Zipcar's UK operation. The service was expanded to North America as a pilot program in November 2011, and has been well received by Zipcar members in the pilot markets of San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Toronto and Washington, DC, with over 12,000 Zipvan trips taken to date.

"We love the convenience of having Zipvans parked close to our offices in San Francisco, Chicago and Washington DC, which makes it easy to deliver flower arrangements and plants to our customers," said Bryan Burkhart, CEO and Co-Founder, H. Bloom. "Zipvan makes good business sense because we only pay for a van when we need to use it, and Zipvan won't cost me an hour of an employee's time driving to a remote location or waiting in line at a rental counter."

Through the Zipvan service, Zipcar offers Ford E-150 full size cargo vans with up-front seats and over 230 cubic feet of cargo space that allow members to transport items that are too bulky for ordinary vehicles. The vans are available for hourly or daily use, and rates include gas, insurance, roadside assistance and up to 180 miles of driving per day.

The all-inclusive low hourly rates on Zipvan vehicles can help individuals, small businesses and community non-profits reduce their costs of transporting goods and supplies.

Posted in: Bryan Burkhart,Cab/Hire,Carsharing,International,LCV,North America,Scott Griffith,Van,Zipcar,Zipvan,Zipvan Cargo Van Service