A new collaboration between Metro Transit and Hourcar could make hopping off public transit and getting in a personal
vehicle a little easier.
Hourcar, a Twin
Cities car sharing service, launched a partnership with Metro Transit on Friday, making Hourcar services accessible through Go-To transit passes. And some say the new relationship could make different transportation options more readily available.
The partnership will
allow Go-To card, U-Pass , Metropass and College Pass holders to check out an Hourcar at one of its pickup locations.
Hourcar users previously had to use a separate key card to lock and unlock the vehicles.
Hourcar Program
Director Manager Megan Hansen said the car ride can’t be paid for using the pass, but said Metro Transit and Hourcar hope to integrate payment with the passes in the future.
The new service may help Twin Cities
residents who don’t have access to their own cars, said Frank Douma, a
transportation research fellow at the University’s Humphrey School of
Public Affairs.
“It is that much more convenient to pick up an Hourcar when a bus or bike won’t work for you,” he said.
Metro Transit officials hope the new service will offer more options for
environmentally -friendly travel, Market
Development Specialist Adam Mehl said.
Gender, women and sexuality studies junior Abigail Floy commutes to campus and said she prefers to drive come winter time.
“It’s too cold to be standing outside waiting for the bus,” she said.
“…[With the partnership], you don’t have to worry about how to get to school because you can always hop on the bus or the train. It definitely takes off some of that stress and anxiety.”
Though natural
resources science and management graduate student Trevor Host owns a car, he bikes to class to avoid looking for parking.
“Parking is really the issue on campus, which is why I use public
transportation,” Host said.
“This would make it a little easier to get places.”
Metro Transit also
partners with Twin Cities ride sharing service,
Car2Go , Mehl said.
He said he hopes the new partnership will make transportation more
accessible to residents.
“You already have the card in your wallet, so it’s ready to go wherever,” Mehl said.
