CarShare program gets shiny new partnership

The 84th Minnesota State Student Association introduced a shiny new CarShare program partnership with Enterprise called Enterprise CarShare. The program, previously arranged through Hertz, allows students and faculty in need of a car to rent one out at an hourly rate.

The change from Hertz to Enterprise was made when the old contract was set to expire.

“Over the summer, it was brought up to VP Maria Ruiz and I attention that the contract with our previous provider was about to expire,” said MSSA president Faical Rayani. “Maria and I decided to look for different options and making sure that we were offering the best possible service for the students.”

The decision was not made lightly as the MSSA explored different options over the summer.

“We had meetings over the summer and finally came to the agreement that Enterprise CarShare was the best service out there,” said Rayani. “It fit our needs and we were able to change some details on the contract which made it more convenient for our students.”

The CarShare program offers two Nissan vehicles available for a special rental rate of $5 per hour until Dec. 31. Cars are also accessible 24 hours a day and are available to all students and faculty with a valid driver’s license, no matter what country you are from.

The new program was particularly appealing because of its $1 sign-up fee, which is very affordable for all students.

“One of the main reasons why we decided to switch providers was the fact that Enterprise offered a $1 sign-up fee and rates that Enterprise has a local branch in Mankato,” Ruiz said. “The rates are lower than before as well.”

Although the CarShare program only offers two cars at a time, students can call and reserve another car from the local Enterprise branch.

“Students can also have the chance to call the local Enterprise branch and reserve another car for the same rate if both cars are in use,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz hopes that this new program will benefit the students even more than the last program.

“We hope that students will take advantage of this service!” she said. “It is a great opportunity to perhaps attend a concert, visit family, going to a lecture in the cities or simply going for an adventure in town.”

To sign up for a membership for Enterprise CarShare, please visit https://www.mnsu.edu/mssa/ to sign up now.