Car Sharing Now Available in Montgomery County Urban Centers

Car Sharing Now Available in Montgomery County Urban Centers

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) today announced a significant expansion of commercial car sharing services in the County at no cost to the County. Car sharing provides County residents, visitors and businesses with increased access to convenient transportation options that reduce parking demand and traffic congestion in the County’s urban centers.

“We are pleased to welcome the expansion of car sharing in Montgomery Countywith Hertz on Demand and Zipcar,” said MCDOT Director Art Holmes. “Car sharing protects the environment while enhancing our smart growth and sustainable transportation initiatives – and does so in a cost-effective way.”

To increase car sharing, MCDOT has provided public parking spaces for car sharing vehicles. The companies are paying established parking rates for use of the County parking spaces.

Two car sharing companies, Zipcar and Hertz on Demand, were selected following a competitive bid process that allowed vendors to choose locations that best fit their service areas and the types of vehicles they offer. Twenty-six vehicles have been made available at 13 locations in Bethesda, Silver Spring, Wheaton, Montgomery Hills and North Bethesda.

The new car share locations are prominently marked by signs and are listed below:

Zipcar

          Metropolitan Garage, 7601 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda

• Bethesda Avenue between Woodmont Avenue and Arlington Road, Bethesda
• Cordell Avenue between Woodmont Avenue and Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda
• Ellsworh Drive between Fenton Street and Veterans Place, Silver Spring
• Fenton Street between Colesville Road and Cameron Street, Silver Spring
• Cameron Street between Georgia Avenue and Fenton Street, Silver Spring
• Wheaton Market PlaceLot, 11219 Grandview Avenue, Wheaton
• Parking Lot, Seminary Road and Sutton Place, 1920 Seminary Road, Montgomery Hills
• Executive Boulevard between Rockville Pike and Woodglen Drive, North Bethesda

Hertz On Demand

• Metropolitan Garage, 7601 Woodmont Avenue Bethesda
• Middleton Lane Parking Lot, 4538 Middleton Lane, Bethesda
• Bonifant/Dixon Garage, Silver Spring
• Fenton Street between Wayne Avenue and Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring

Car sharing provides commuters or other travelers who primarily rely on transit, car/vanpooling, biking or walking access to a car when needed and can also save them money. The availability of car sharing may help some residents go“car free” or provide a second car for multi-driver households that only need occasional access to a second vehicle.

More information on using car share vehicles is available at www.hertzondemand.com and www.zipcar.com. For more information on the County’s programs promoting alternatives to driving alone –including car sharing – visit www.montgomerycountymd.gov/commuteor call Commuter Services at (240) 777-8380.