Zipcars Will Be Saving Chicago Some Money

The savings will chip away the $135 million spent annually on government vehicles

Author Photo of Wayne Bean By: Wayne Bean / Twitter @BeanWayne
Contributing Writer
Published: 3/9/11 | Updated: 10/17/17

Laying out the paperwork with a calculator to evaluate some budget possibilities.

Laying out the paperwork with a calculator to evaluate some budget possibilities. |Image provided by Pexels

Looking for alternative ways to cut expenses, Chi-town has recently entered into an agreement with Zipcar to eliminate over 100 government vehicles that gobble up resources.

The move to use the car-sharing system will help save the city $400,000, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. "[t]he Zipcar program will produce both immediate and long-term savings in vehicle purchase costs, fuel and maintenance," fleet management commissioner Pat Harney said in a press release.

Employees will be able to make online reservations for a car through their Zipcards as long as they state the purpose of their planned trips. They can also reserve a car on devices that will be installed on city-owned pool vehicles.

The car-sharing program is an answer to newly elected mayor Rahm Emanuel's challenge to cut unnecessary expenses, as Chicago taxpayers spend over $135 million a year to maintain the city's non-emergency government vehicle alone, according to the news outlet.

If you are interested in using similar services, look for a Zipcar Coupon Code. For other rental car options, look for an Enterprise Rent-A-Car Promo Code or a Budget Rent-A-Car Promotion Code for your next trip.

Wayne Bean, Contributing Writer

Wayne is a personal finance expert and former financial planner. He contributes knowledge gleaned from his time at AMB and a lifetime of frugal living. Not much of a Twitter user.