UWM has contracted with Flexcar to launch the first car-sharing program in the Milwaukee area to its students, faculty, staff and members of the surrounding campus neighborhoods.

Flexcar, a national company operating on nearly 30 U.S. college campuses, will provide the vehicles, which will be parked on campus and available for short-term use by members for much less than traditional car-rental agencies. Flexcar’s program is offered at universities such as Ohio State, UCLA and Georgia Tech.

University Housing is sponsoring the program. A formal kickoff event will take place Friday, Sept. 7, at 11:30 a.m. in the central Spaights Plaza on the UWM campus, behind the UWM Union.

“UWM is proud to team up with Flexcar to offer the campus community this vital service,” says Scott Peak, director of University Housing. “It is our hope that the program will have the added benefit of reducing the number of vehicles parked on or near campus, and that it will encourage more people to choose modes of transportation that are friendlier to the environment.”

The program will give people who don’t have a car an affordable alternative when public transportation isn’t feasible, says Cindy Wirtz, financial and operational services manager for UWM Auxiliary Services.

It also will give people who own a car the option of using less expensive forms of transportation without sacrificing access to a car for off-campus meetings, errands or appointments.

University Housing became interested in Flexcar after many of the students in the residence halls – particularly freshmen and sophomores, who cannot keep a private car on campus – expressed a need, says Wirtz.

Initially, six vehicles will be available: a Honda Accord, two Honda SUV Elements, and Honda Civic hybrids.

People interested in using the vehicles pay an annual membership fee of $35, but that is waived the first year for those who sign up online in the first 90 days – by Nov. 28. (Students use the promotional code UWM18 or UWM21). If members use the service at least twice during the year, they do not have to pay the membership fee.

Additional requirements apply to drivers who are under 21.

Rates for individual use start at $7 an hour, which includes gas, insurance and maintenance.

Members can reserve a car by web or phone, use their Flexcar Smartcard to access the vehicle and, when they are finished, return it to its UWM parking lot space.

Complete rules are on the company’s site, www.flexcar.com/oncampus.