National Press Release

Available June 2009

EUGENE, Ore., June 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- U Car Share is expanding its growth and bringing the alternative to vehicle ownership to Eugene, Ore. U Car Share allows members access to cars 24/7, thus eliminating the need to own a car or bring one to campus during the school year. Members pay only for what they use, in one low hourly rate starting at $9.25 per hour. U Car Share takes care of fuel, mileage, insurance and maintenance costs.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090608/LA29383)

Anyone 18 years or older with at least two years of driving experience may qualify to become a member. U Car Share encourages students at the University of Oregon and Edgewood College to consider car sharing as opposed to bringing a car to campus. With many locations around town, U Car Share is a convenient alternative that can save thousands of dollars vs. owning a car and having to deal with parking, insurance, fuel and maintenance.

Car sharing meets the needs of students who need a car occasionally, while being sensitive to the surrounding community and environment. Car sharing reduces the demand for parking and results in greater sustainability while maintaining individuals' mobility.

U Car Share vehicles soon will be positioned for easy access to students, faculty, staff and the local community, and will be available at U-Haul Center Franklin, 4400 Franklin Blvd., beginning June 2009. U Car Share will provide two EPA SmartWay certified PT Cruisers. The vehicles will be parked conveniently at the U-Haul Center Franklin, which is located adjacent to a bus stop. Members will be able to access the vehicle with a U Car Share membership card. As prequalified members, they will be able to log on to ucarshare.com at any time and reserve any vehicle of their choice on the U Car Share network. Members can reserve cars for as little as an hour at any time of the day. Gas, miles and insurance are all included in one low hourly rate, starting at $9.25 per hour. Daily rates are available as well.

"U Car Share is a great way for us to expand our business model and reach out to provide a great service to the community," exclaimed Bill Woods, president, U-Haul Company of Portland. "We want to provide our community and its students an alternative to car ownership that will help save money and the environment."

For a limited time, membership is free for all students, faculty and staff (a $50 value). Log on to ucarshare.com today and enter promotion code EUGENE when signing up. (This promo code will expire on August 30, 2009.)

Research shows that car sharing is great for the environment. Every shared car on the road can replace up to 15 personally owned vehicles. This means that fewer cars will need to be manufactured, fewer cars will be on the road and the community's carbon footprint will be reduced. Car sharing is fast becoming a critical element of the transportation network in many cities and universities, enabling residents, students and businesses to get rid of their vehicles while still meeting their transportation needs.

U Car Share is committed to the community and will work with the community and local schools to see that the program is successful. U Car Share is very excited to be expanding its growth in Oregon.

U Car Share is also available in: Portland, Maine; College Station, Texas; Madison, Wis.; Berkeley, Calif. and Portland, Ore.

U Car Share vehicles soon will be available at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.; Regis College, Weston, Mass., and in the Salt Lake City, Utah metropolitan area.

For more information about U Car Share, log on to ucarshare.com or call 1-866-323-4591.

U-Haul Corporate Sustainability Initiative

U-Haul was founded by a Navy veteran who grew up in the Great Depression. Tires and gas were still rationed or in short supply during the late 1940s when U-Haul began serving U.S. customers. Today, that background is central to the U-Haul Sustainability Program: "Serving the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Our commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle includes fuel efficient moving vans, neighborhood proximity, moving box reuse, moving pads made from discarded material and packing peanuts that are 100 percent biodegradable. Learn more about these facts and others at uhaul.com/sustainability.

    Contact:
    Joanne Fried
    Ashleigh Wagner
    U-Haul Public Relations
    (602) 263-6194
    publicrelations@uhaul.com

SOURCE U-Haul