A new car rental company is coming to multiple Canadian university and college campuses this fall.
Student Car Share (SCS), launched in November 2012 by Michael Lende, called itself in a press release “the first car sharing service in Canada.”
The campuses at which the service will now be available include Queen’s University, the University of Ottawa, and Western University, according to the press release.
While SCS also lists Carleton University as one of the universities where its service will be offered, university spokesperson Chris Cline said, “Carleton does not have any agreement or partnership in place with Student Car Share at this time.”
“If you visit the company’s ‘Find a Car’ portal, you’ll notice that Carleton students are being directed to an off-campus location to pick up their vehicles,” Cline said via email. “[SCS] seems to have made their services available to Carleton students, but there is no agreement between Carleton and the company.”
Students must create a membership with the company, and pay an annual fee of $50 to use the service, plus an initial fee of $25 for an application.
When students become members, they receive a smartcard that they use as a key. In each car, there is a gas card, which can be used for clients to refill their tanks while SCS pays the bill.
The company is an “on demand 24/7 service,” according to Lende, who said all students need to do is indicate how long they need the car for.
Other membership perks include free insurance, maintenance, and roadside assistance, he said.
Lende, who describes himself as a social entrepreneur, said there is a market for making personal transportation more accessible to students. He said that unlike other services, SCS allows students 18 years and older who have a good driving record to do business with them.
“You only need to be 18 or older to become a member, as opposed to 21 or 25 at other car rental companies,” he said. “We really believe in [students]. I think it’ll be successful.”
SCS has partnered with Kia Canada, now the official car of SCS, Discount Car and Truck Rentals, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada, according to Lende.
Kia Canada marketing director Robert Staffieri said in a statement the company is “looking forward to offering students a convenient, flexible and cost-effective way to meet their transportation needs.”
“This alignment provides a great opportunity to promote driver responsibility in support of our partnership with MADD Canada,” Staffieri said.
