The Zipcar service has finally made it to Detroit! Or at least to Wayne State University. The Zipcar Website now shows that Zipcar will soon be available to students and faculty:

Get 24/7 access to Zipcars parked right on campus! Simply reserve online, let yourself in with your Zipcard and drive. Our low hourly and daily rates always include gas and insurance.

You only need to be 18+ to join. Members age 18-20 can use a dedicated group of Zipcars that live on campus. Members age 21+ also have access to thousands of Zipcars all around the world.

While there does not yet appear to be a date set as to when these cars will be available, the very prospect of it is very exciting. Students who live on campus or nearby often rely on non-motorized transportation to get around town – and with the lack of any decent form of mass transit, that can be some very interesting shades of difficult. The student impact of the Zipcar in Detroit will be felt immediately, as a whole world of opportunities just opened up to a bustling campus of students.

The Zipcar service offers a pay as you go system for people who don’t have a vehicle for day-to-day transportation, but who may need one for a few hours or a day at a time. These kinds of services are increasingly popular in heavily populated areas and big cities all over the country. Until now, it has been another in a laundry list of things that Detroiters have heard about from friends who have traveled to foreign lands, as though it was a mystical unicorn that people would hear stories of but could never really believe that it existed.

Not only does it exist, but it’s making a commitment to Detroit. Another nationally recognized company is joining the ranks of Whole Foods in realizing that Detroit is a safe and profitable place to do business. I’m excited to see what happens, are you?

Image courtesy of Rakka on Flickr.