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Thursday, March 18, 2010

For everyone who got hot and bothered when PhillyCarShare flipped to a monthly/annual fee, rejoice. The ubiquitous auto lender has introduced a new, cheapo plan for peeps who don't need a car often enough to justify the $125-per-annum/or$15-per-month fees of the Philadelphia plan.

PCS just unveiled its $35-per-year Keystone plan. Of course, savings come at a price:

  • a higher hourly rate
  • no daily and overnight rates
  • 185 miles included with each reservation but $0.35 per mile above that
  • access to just two of the service's three vehicle tiers with access to specialty vehicles as needed (clarified in comments below. my apologies-bh)

If you're already signed up on the Philly plan, you can switch to Keystone and have the remainder of your old plan tranferred as driving credits to your new plan.

Not sure you can make the switch, hit up their rate calculator.


Kyle
Posted 2010-03-25 08:14:50
Or there's always ZipCar, which has never had a monthly fee on its
"Occasional Driving Plan" and is $50 per year. You also have the benefit of using ZipCars when travelling, in over 50 cities in the US and UK.

Robin
Posted 2010-03-19 12:32:15
Thanks, Brian! I know several people, including myself, who quit, because we just didn't use it that much, and it ticked us off.

PhillyCarShare
Posted 2010-03-18 13:34:59
We are so excited to make car sharing an affordable option again for infrequent users! Just for clarification, those on the Keystone Plan (the occasional user plan) *do* have access to all vehicles that Philadelphia Plan users do. We have just simplified things a bit for Keystone Members and bunched all vehicles into two tiers. Have any questions? We're happy to help at 215-730-0988 option 5.

Kate
Posted 2010-04-03 13:40:01
PhillyCarShare is home grown and nonprofit, unlike ZipCar. I'm really glad they're back with a plan for drivers like me--I think they're going to get a whole lot of returning members.

Mark
Posted 2010-04-03 12:08:20
It wasn't PhillyCarShare's change in plans that made me flip out, it was the way I was treated. Let's not forget that PhillyCarShare issued notice of elimination of their free membership plan only days before they took action, and in a way that could be construed as deceptive. I am one of many former members who received an unexpected credit card charge, and found that there was no convenient way to cancel membership. I called repeatedly without speaking to a live person, and only after I threatened legal action did they close my account and refund my money. And when they finally did this, they did it without a word - no letter, no email, no apologies. In short, it felt like I was being punished for doing business with them. So I took the hint - no matter what PhillyCarShare offers, our business is definitely permanently concluded.

Kuz
Posted 2010-07-08 00:34:33
Honestly, I don't understand why it's any benefit that they're a non-profit.  Like Mark I felt mistreated by the manner in which they acted, and by the difficulty of canceling my membership.  If I felt that they cared about their members, I still be one.

donald cubler
Posted 2010-07-19 09:30:33
I recently left PCS after several months of frustration over changed reservations, cars that have become more like Rent a Wreck, and after 5 years of being a very good and loyal customer fines, fines, and more fines. I refuse to be part of PCS cash flow solution by paying a 30.00 fine for leaving the back seat down ( I did not put it down and I never noticed it was down). After 5 years as a loyal customer, spending an average of $2000.00 each of those years and never being late, I was supposedly 8 min late last month and was also hit with 40.00 late fee, never mind that I have padded my time for more than a year and have paid for more than 40 hours this year alone that was shear profit for them. Clearly PCS is in big cash flow problems and my bank account will not be part of the solution!
Posted by Brian Howard @ 7:12 PM  Permalink | File Under: News | Post a comment
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