New Zipcars Debut In Bethesda

Alternative transportation options for Bethesdans are expanding after six new Zipcars debuted in Bethesda this month.

Zipcars, which can be rented by the hour, have become popular among urbanites who rely mainly on public transportation and need a car only on occasion. The car sharing service provides an alternative to owning or renting a car.

Zipcars have been around for awhile in Bethesda and Montgomery County – you’ve probably seen them parked in the private lot beneath Bethesda Row. This month, however, the company debuted 18 new Zipcars across Montgomery County.

The new cars are all parked on the street, whereas before, they had typically been parked in private lots.

“We are very excited to be expanding our presence in Montgomery County with 18 new on-street spots for Zipcar vehicles,” Scott Hall, general manager of Zipcar DC, wrote in an email to Patch. “We have an extremely enthusiastic member base of Zipsters in the greater Washington, DC area, and we always listen very closely to their requests for new locations. We hope the increased number of Zipcars available in these convenient parking spots will make access to a vehicle more convenient for our members throughout Montgomery County.”

You can check out two new Bethesda Row Zipcars – a Nissan Sentra and a Honda Civic -- located on-street on Bethesda Avenue close to the

News of the two new Bethesda Row Zipcars was first reported by Bethesda blogger Robert Dyer.

Two new Zipcars are also located at 4821 Cordell Avenue at Woodmont, and another two can be found at 7601 Woodmont Avenue in Garage 49.

For Zipcar members, rates start at $8 an hour and $74 a day, and reservations can be made online. For more information, check out the Zipcar website.