Welcome to Baltimore, Zipcar

First off, I would like to rescind my post from October 17, 2008 entitled "Take that Zipcar". Back then, zipcar had no real interest in expanding its market in Baltimore beyond its partnership with Johns Hopkins University. There was supposed to be a local non-profit run caresharing program called Baltimore Careshare, but that never happened. Then last year there was Altcar, which was supposed to have pods of electric cars all around the city, but they never got passed the Maryland Science Center.

Now, Zipcar has finally made its presence further known in Baltimore with 22 cars. Pods will be both on the street and in garages in downtown, the westside, Harbor East, Mount Vernon, and Station North.  I only hope that this will be the start of even more cars in Baltimore. Let's say Federal Hill, Fells Point, Canton, maybe even the far north? If only.

In a post I read in the Baltimore Sun, someone already commented that the Zipcars parked in their pods at Paca and Redwood streets have already received tickets from the Parking Authority. The same city department that authorized the spots to be given to Zipcar in the first place. My two reactions to that are a.) that's Baltimore being Baltimore, and b.) that's hilarious.

Now off and get your Zipcars before the city tickets them for parking where they're supposed to be!

Comments

  1. MeghanJune 29, 2010 at 1:00 PM

    Just an fyi, the Parking Authority has nothing to do with giving tickets. Tickets are given by the Police Department and the Parking Enforcement Division of the Department of Transportation.

    ReplyDelete
  2. CBJune 29, 2010 at 1:46 PM

    Thanks for the correction! I should have written Parking Enforcement there. Regardless, that's a BIG miscommunication between city agencies.

    The Parking Authority authorizes Zipcar to use parking spots on the street and spaces in city owned garages. They should have made sure that the City Department of Transportation was aware of that.

    ReplyDelete

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