How Zipcar Inspired a Tutoring Service to Rethink Transportation

• Tutoring company Private Prep needed a more efficient and on-demand way for its NYC tutors to get to their sessions with students, so Zipcar created a custom business program for the company in August 2020 
• Car-sharing from Zipcar gave tutors access to vehicles near them, all over NYC 
• For added convenience, Zipcar placed additional vehicles close to where tutors lived in the city 
• Today, 50-60 tutors regularly book Zipcar car rentals in all five NYC boroughs  
• By cutting down on travel time with custom car-sharing, tutors were able to schedule more sessions with students 
• Private Prep’s program with Zipcar also included custom billing and reporting 

About Private Prep 

Founded in 2006, Private Prep is a tutoring and test-prep service that travels to students for in-sessions. The company’s employees tutor thousands of students in a dozen cities—including New York City—across the globe.  
 

Revolutionizing Employee Transportation Through Car Sharing 

Private Prep is a tutoring organization that prides itself on knowing all the answers. But in 2020 they ran into a problem that they couldn’t solve—at least, not without the help of Zipcar.   

They had a transportation challenge in the Big Apple. Private Prep found that shuttling tutors to study sessions across the city was a logistical nightmare. Ride hailing was too expensive. Public transit didn’t go to all the locations they needed. And owning and maintaining a fleet of vehicles just wasn’t an option.  

So, how could Private Prep get tutors to their sessions on time without breaking the bank? They turned to Zipcar for the answer.   
 

The Innovative Car Sharing & Rental Solution

Zipcar came to the table with a custom car-sharing solution that proposed giving tutors easy access to vehicles near them, all over NYC. In August 2020, Private Prep opened the books on their new program with Zipcar. 

While large fleets already existed in New York City, Zipcar wanted to ensure every tutor had a ride to every session. So Zipcar placed additional vehicles in the neighborhoods where tutors lived, so they could have easy access to local vehicles. This made it even easier for tutors to book convenient cars during peak after-school hours.  

“Zipcar has been an essential tool for our tutors,” says Allie Polsky, HR Manager/Operations at Private Prep, “allowing them to easily reach our clients, one ride at a time.” 

Another key component of Private Prep’s car-sharing program is custom billing and reporting. Zipcar created a custom solution that allowed both individual office billing alongside a corporate overview. Custom reporting allowed Private Prep to stay ahead of the curve and track program usage.  

The Result 

Zipcar is helping Private Prep thrive in NYC.  

The car-sharing program saves tutors time with conveniently located vehicles and on-demand booking. Car sharing has also helped tutors expand their reach, as less travel time means extra hours to take on additional students.  

Private Prep regularly has 50-60 tutors accessing Zipcars in all five NYC boroughs. And the tutors can get to their sessions with students easily, giving them more time to focus on what’s important: having a positive impact on their students and helping them rise to their true potential. 

Interested in bringing Zipcars to your employees? Learn more about our offerings and get in touch.