By Sydney Shaw
News Editor
For students at the College without access to a vehicle, a solution has arrived in Campus Town. The PRC Group has implemented a car-share program through Enterprise and Nissan, which opened earlier this month.
All students, including freshmen, are able to rent a car. Currently, two are available. By signing up, students can use the rental service at age 18, rather than the typical rental age requirement of 25, according to Greg Lentine, director of university campus development for PRC Group.
“Every time I drive past, I see one or both of the cars gone,” Lentine said. “When Enterprise called us and asked to do this program, we knew it would be something big.”
According to the Enterprise CarShare website, hourly rates for students at the College begin at $4.95, while daily rates start at $44. These prices will last through Thursday, Dec. 31, after which prices will rise to $7.50 per hour.
In order to rent a car, students must first become a member online at enterprisecarshare.com/tcnj. There are $15 and $20 yearly membership options, but with the promotional code “1tojoin,” students can purchase a full year membership for $1 through Thursday, Dec. 31.
“There are permanent parking spots for Enterprise CarShare cars in the Campus Town parking lot,” said Jonathan Sheridan, a junior finance major at the College and the liaison for Enterprise CarShare. “The idea is that students can take these cars as they please.”
According to Sheridan, students should receive a membership key fob in the mail within about a week of becoming a member.
Once they have their fob, they can use the Enterprise CarShare website or app to reserve a time they would like to use the car,” he said. “At that time, they go to the car and wave the fob over the windshield. The actual keys will already be in the car, and they’re good to go.”
Enterprise’s website contains video tutorials for becoming a member, reserving a car and fueling up the rental car if it is running low on gas. Since fuel is included in the price of the rental, there is a fuel card in the glove compartment of each vehicle to pay with at the pump.
The cars were delivered to the College with only around 40 miles on the odometers, according to Sheridan.
“The cars are brand spanking new,” Sheridan said. “They are beautiful and eco-friendly, fuel-efficient Nissans.”
Since there is no physical office for Enterprise CarShare, Sheridan encourages students to reach out to him at sheridj2@tcnj. edu with any questions about the program.
“It’s been in the works for a while, so I’m glad it’s up and running,” Lentine said. “I think it’s the perfect addition to Campus Town.”
