Enterprise Brings Car Sharing to University of Massachusetts Amherst

AMHERST, MA--(Marketwire - Oct 4, 2011) - Enterprise Rent-A-Car is providing car sharing to students, faculty and staff at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst through WeCar by Enterprise.

"UMass is pleased to have Enterprise Rent-A-Car add their WeCar program to our campus menu of commuter options," said Al Byam, director of transportation at UMass. WeCar is an efficient, affordable and convenient transportation alternative for the UMass community, and is also available to members of the broader Amherst community.

The WeCar program is supported by the extensive Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network of more than 5,500 rental offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, and it is a natural extension of the local car rental service that Enterprise pioneered and continues to provide.

"That means we not only offer affordable, accessible and flexible local car rental service in more towns and cities than anyone else, but we also represent a hugely significant part of the value chain for bringing alternative-fueled vehicles to the mass market," explained Lee Broughton, the head of corporate sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, which owns and operates the flagship Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand as well as the WeCar program.

Enterprise's long-term sustainability initiatives -- highlighted on the www.DrivingFutures.com web site -- underscore the inherent sustainability in offering car rental service right where people live and work since 1957. In fact, well before it launched its car-sharing program, Enterprise rented to drivers in large urban centers who needed a vehicle for an hour, a day or a week. Enterprise already has two rental locations in Amherst, one on-site at UMass at the Transit Services Facility and a local office at 213 College St. In addition, there are more than 130 Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations throughout Massachusetts.

"We're providing UMass and the local Amherst community with a broad and more sustainable transportation solution, with fuel-efficient vehicles that make it efficient, and automated car-sharing technology that makes it quick and easy to access the vehicles," said Ryan Johnson, assistant vice president, WeCar and Rideshare for Enterprise.

For those who enroll as members, WeCar offers around-the-clock access to three fuel-efficient vehicles on campus, including a Ford Focus hatchback, Ford Fusion and Nissan Cube. The three WeCar vehicles will be parked in the UMass Campus Center Garage, and are available during weekdays for $8 per hour and during the weekend for $9 per hour. Daily and overnight rates are also available.

Members reserve a vehicle online, and then access it using their membership card and return the vehicle to the same location where it was picked up. Fuel and basic vehicle physical damage and state required liability protection are included in the standard rate plan.

Enterprise hires approximately 25 graduates from UMass each year and has several alumni currently working throughout the company. WeCar has created a Brand Ambassador Internship program on campus to market the car-sharing service.

WeCar by Enterprise operates car-sharing programs on nearly 50 college campuses throughout the United States and Canada, as well as corporate and municipal programs throughout the United States.

UMass students, faculty and staff and others in the Amherst community with a credit card and valid driver's license can sign up for the program at www.wecar.com/umass. Additional information about WeCar by Enterprise Rent-A-Car is available by following @WeCar on Twitter.

About WeCar by Enterprise
The WeCar by Enterprise car-sharing program provides a totally automated, membership-based and environmentally friendly transportation solution, whether it is for an hour, a day, a weekend or longer. Enterprise Rent-A-Car launched hourly car rentals in 2005 and local car sharing in 2007 as a natural extension of its business rental program and longtime focus on customized service in communities. Today, Enterprise Rent-A-Car's WeCar program offers fuel efficient, hybrid and plug-in vehicles, delivering car-sharing technology's speed, efficiency and economy nationwide to businesses, universities and government offices looking to enhance their fleet management operations and sustainability initiatives. Supported by the extensive Enterprise Rent-A-Car network of locations, the WeCar program is able to build on Enterprise's well-established Virtual Car® rental service and its track record for making local car rental convenient and affordable for those who prefer to "buy for the need and rent for the exception." In addition, WeCar car sharing complements Enterprise Rideshare, which serves both individual vanpool groups and large employer work sites, and together the two programs help customers reduce traffic congestion, fuel consumption and vehicle emissions.

St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings owns and operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand and the WeCar program. With annual revenues of $12.6 billion and more than 68,000 employees, Enterprise Holdings also operates, through its regional subsidiaries, more than 1 million cars and trucks, making it the largest and most comprehensive car rental service provider in the world measured by revenue, employees and fleet. For more information about Enterprise Rent-A-Car's WeCar program, visit www.wecar.com. For more information about Enterprise Holdings' environmental stewardship and long-term commitment to the sustainability of the car rental and car-sharing business, visit www.DrivingFutures.com and follow @LeeBroughton on Twitter. This news release and other WeCar announcements are available at the Enterprise Holdings press room.