Zipcar Launches Signature Back-to-School Grant Campaign, “Students with Drive,” Investing more than $25,000 in the Future of Gen Z Student Leaders

BOSTON, MA, OCTOBER 3, 2023 – Zipcar, the world's leading and the largest college and university campus car-sharing provider, today announced the launch of its signature back-to-school grant campaign, Students with Drive, to support the next generation of mission-driven leaders. 

With $10,000 up for grabs by the Grand Prize Winner, hundreds of student organizations from across the country enter annually and compete for funding from Zipcar to drive their missions further on campus and beyond.  

"We know that today's college students need affordable, convenient access to sustainable transportation more than ever, especially to drive extra-curricular mission-driven organizations forward," said Kate Smith, who oversees Zipcar's University relationships as Head of Business to Business and Partnerships. “Zipcar’s Students with Drive grant campaign supports student organizations focused on everything from arts and culture to civics, service, and social justice. This year, we’re proud to accelerate the positive impact student organizations create for their communities through Students with Drive.” 

Are you a “Student with Drive”? Enter Now! 

Interested student organizations who have Zipcars on or around campus should enter by midnight October 16, 2023, by submitting a questionnaire that addresses their mission and how Zipcar can drive it further.  

A panel of judges will review the submissions, and the top 10 entrants will receive $300 in Zipcar Driving Credit and a $500 gift card to create a video demonstrating how the student organization will address its mission with the help of Zipcar.  

Videos must be submitted by February 1, 2024 and will be voted on via Zipcar and social media. Winners will be notified and announced in the spring of 2024. To enter, visit http://www.zipcar.com/swd.  

With back-to-school spending increasing an estimated 20% this year according to National Retail Foundation, Students with Drive aims to empower young trailblazers with access to affordable, convenient and sustainable transportation. 

Students with Drive first launched in October 2011 to support student organizations who need access to transportation to move their mission forward. Since then, Zipcar has provided over one million dollars in funding to empower more than 400 student groups across the country. Reigning champion, Peer to Peer, a student organization from the University of Maryland, College Park, won Zipcar’s 2022-2023 Students with Drive Grand Prize, putting the Zipcar grant to use by partnering with the International Rescue Committee to provide after-school programming for refugee youth in the greater Washington D.C. area. As the Grand Prize winner, Peer to Peer won a $5,000 grant to support the organization, $2,000 in Zipcar membership and driving credit and a $5,000 grant awarded to the University of Maryland. 

The Impact of Car Sharing on College and University Campuses Nationwide 

Since 2001, Zipcar has been a critical component for creating a sustainable transportation network on college and university campuses nationwide, providing students, faculty and staff an easy way to drive without bringing a personal car to school. In fact, 80% of Zipcar university members do not own a vehicle on campus. Fewer personal vehicles on campus reduces congestion, parking competition and carbon emissions while freeing up valuable space that could be used to enhance the campus experience. According to Zipcar’s 2022 North American Transportation Survey: 

University Members’ Lives Improve with Access to Car-Sharing 

• The average member saves approximately $1,000 per month versus car-owners (which could go towards other expenses like tuition, housing, meal plans or savings) 

• 52% of students report that Zipcar helps them reach important destinations affordably  

• 58% of students report that Zipcar provides them opportunities equal to others  

• 47% of students report that Zipcar offers them financial freedom and control over expenses 

• 44% use Zipcar for grocery trips; 37% use Zipcar to run essential errands; 25% use Zipcar for out-of-town trips; 19% use Zipcar for local entertainment, like movies and concerts (71% higher than non-students) 

University Members Carpool More, Reducing Vehicles on the Road 

• The average student Zipcar trip carries 2.53 people (51% more than the national average) resulting in 20 cars taken off the road due to higher vehicle occupancy for every 100 trips. At Stanford University alone, this equates to 13,000 fewer vehicle trips in 2022! 

University Members Embrace Sustainable Transportation 

• Student Zipcar members report using sustainable modes of transportation at higher rates than the average member. University members take 200 walking trips annually; 40 biking trips annually (14% higher than non-student members); 25 shared micromobility trips annually; 120 transit trips annually. 

Zipcar provides 24/7 on-demand, self-service access to vehicles by the hour, day or week in convenient urban, college or business locations with gas or dedicated EV charging, insurance options, maintenance and dedicated parking included. Zipcar is the largest and most longstanding campus car-sharing provider with a presence at hundreds of colleges and universities across North America, from small private colleges to large public universities.  

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