New Car on the Block

Online, November 30, 2010 (Newswire.com) - iCar, Wheels To Go is Boston's New Car Sharing Service Featuring Cutting-Edge Technology

SOMERVILLE, MA (November 17, 2010) - In an effort to meet the increasing needs of the car sharing public in the Boston-metro area and to combat the high prices and lackluster customer service offered by competitors, a new Somerville-based car sharing service has emerged.

iCar, Wheels To Go began accepting members in August of this year, and has been raising the bar ever since. The current fleet of 27 vehicles includes models from hybrids to 15-passenger vans, with a specific eye toward low emissions and fuel efficiency. iCar vehicles are located in Somerville, Cambridge and Allston, with locations coming soon on Beacon Street in Brookline and in Central Square in Cambridge. The majority of iCar's vehicles are available at just $5 per hour during the week and $7 per hour on weekends. Daily rates start at just $69. Not sure where you're going? Nearly all of iCar's vehicles come equipped with GPS units, free of charge.

Why iCar? Why now? "As cultural, environmental, and economic forces converge on an American population transitioning to a new definition of quality of life, car sharing's time has come," explains Neil Abrams, President of Abrams Consulting Group, Inc., a leading specialized travel industry consultancy.

iCar was founded by two local women who saw a lack of competition in the Boston car sharing market and were tired of hearing horror stories about their now-competitors. They wanted to provide an easily accessible, affordable alternative to some of the bigger names in car sharing in the area. iCar was founded by Bostonians, for Bostonians.

"As a decade old industry dominated by not-for-profits and Zipcar, it is both gratifying and exciting for me to see the emergence of iCar, Wheels To Go as the newest state-of-the-art car sharing service offering a very compelling, customer friendly, convenient, and cost effective solution to the short term local travel needs of the residents, businesses, institutions, and government agencies of the greater Boston community," Abrams exclaims.

"Competition is healthy," says Jennifer Jones, Business Development and Marketing Manager of iCar. "Our members are ecstatic they finally have another car sharing option in Boston."

Customer service is a way of life at iCar. To prove it, they have installed state-of-the-art communication units in every vehicle. The unit is mounted to the windshield and it allows members to make and extend reservations inside the vehicle, providing truly on-demand car sharing. No more reserving hours or days ahead of time (although you can still reserve a vehicle for up to a year ahead of time).

In addition, unlike other car sharing companies that charge a hefty late fee that is collected by the company, iCar's late fee goes directly to the inconvenienced member. If the reserved vehicle is not available when it's supposed to be, iCar will locate the member another vehicle, give the member a ride to the vehicle or reimburse the member for the cab fare, and credit the member with the offending member's late fee. When iCar says they pride themselves on top notch customer service, they mean it.

"I didn't think that the car sharing model could be improved much," says John T, one iCar's first members, "But then iCar Wheels To Go arrived in Somerville and showed it can be done. The iCar team understands that car sharing is all about convenience. I love having the option of renting on the 1/4 hour (versus other companies' 1/2 hour), the ability to make reservations right from the car, and having a GPS unit in most of the cars (free of charge). Since joining iCar, I haven't used another service once - iCar offers everything I need."

About iCar, Wheels To Go
iCar is a women-owned car sharing organization headquartered in Somerville with locations throughout Greater Boston. iCar offers a variety of vehicles including sedans, hybrids and 15 passenger vans that are available by the hour, day or week by individuals and businesses. iCar, Wheels To Go and the iCar, Wheels To Go logo are registered trademarks of iCar, Wheels To Go.

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If you'd like more information about iCar, please contact Jennifer Jones at 617-566-1018 or [email protected].