Giving LA residents easier access to transportation

For 20 years, Zipcar’s presence in Los Angeles has strategically evolved—first we introduced car sharing to two major college campuses, then expanded access citywide. In 2006, we launched at the University of Southern California (USC) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), followed by a pilot program with the city of Los Angeles in 2009. Then, in 2011, LA launched as Zipcar’s 16th major metro market. Today, residents—from downtown to the Hollywood Hills, Westwood to Santa Monica—enjoy easy access to cars, while making a social and environmental impact on each trip.  

 

Here’s a look at LA members and how Zipcar helps them achieve their goals 

 

LA members at a glance 

Zipcar has made vehicle access more convenient and affordable for Angelenos of all racial, ethnic, and financial backgrounds.   

Gender + identity 

• 63% Male 

• 34% Female

• 1.5% Nonbinary 

• 15% LGBTQIA+ 

Our LA members are diverse 

• 76% BIPOC 

Household income 

• 62% of households earn less than $79,000, the median LA income.¹ 

Housing 

• 80% live in multifamily housing. 

• 85% rent an apartment or house. 

Employment 

• 41% Students 

• 33% Work full time

• 18% Work part time 

• 4% Unemployed 

LA members reduce personal car ownership 

• 78% do not own a vehicle. 

• 44% postponed buying or leasing a car because of their Zipcar membership. 

 

Why our LA members join 

(Hint: Convenience, cost savings, and sustainability) 

• 72% joined Zipcar because it’s more convenient than other car share or car rental places. 

• 70% choose Zipcar because they need to get somewhere not accessible by foot, bike or public transit. 

• 46% wanted to avoid the costs of car ownership. 

• 48% wanted to supplement public transit trips. 

• 18% wanted to reduce their impact on the environment. 

 

Where LA members drive

They’re out running errands, seeing family, and taking daytrips.    

• 48% Grocery store 

• 39% Errands (not including food shopping) 

• 37% Appointments  

• 31% Visiting family and friends 

• 27% Out-of-town trips 

• 7% Use Zipcar as a rideshare driver 

 

Zipcar EVs around LA 

In 2023, Zipcar launched EVs in Los Angeles—helping serve more disadvantaged communities in LA compared to other cities. 

• 78% of Zipcar EVs in LA are located in disadvantaged communities.² 

• 64% of low-income LA members report their home can’t accommodate an EV. 

• Nearly 70% report that a Zipcar was the first EV they’ve ever driven. 

 

Social and environmental impact 

Car sharing helps LA residents save money and unlock new opportunities—while reducing traffic, parking hassles, and carbon emissions citywide.  

 

LA members save more than other residents 

• $165 is the average monthly cost for Zipcar in LA. 

• 87% savings compared to owning a car. 

• 17% of personal income is spent on transportation expenses by LA residents. 

• 5% of personal income is spent on transportation by a Zipcar member.  

More access, better opportunities 
 
Members with household incomes below $35,000 say we’re helping them do more than just save. 

• 82% say Zipcar allows them to explore places inaccessible by other transit. 

• 68% say Zipcar helps them feel safe on their essential trips.  

• 67% say Zipcar gives them affordable access to important places like school and work.

• 61% say Zipcar gives them equal access to opportunities.  

• 49% say Zipcar helps provide financial freedom.  

• 23% say Zipcar gives them the opportunity to earn money.   

 

Reducing congestion on LA streets 

• 57% of LA members say they would buy a car if Zipcar left.  

• 15,000+ Vehicles members would buy if Zipcar left. That’s enough to clog a 10-lane stretch of the 405 for at least 10 miles.  

• 182 million more miles would be driven with the additional vehicles.  

• $23.7 million in savings for reduced congestion.  

• 9th-most congested city worldwide.3

 

Reducing CO2 emissions 

• 35 million lbs. The amount of CO2 our LA members reduce annually. That’s like removing almost 2 million bags of trash from LA’s Sunshine Canyon Landfill. 

 

Zipcar-specific data was collected as part of Zipcar’s 2024 North American Transportation Survey, with a sample size of approximately 5,922 respondents in North America and 362 identifying as members who use Zipcar from the Los Angeles metro area. 

^{1 United States Census Bureau. Los Angeles, CA. 2023} 

^{2 As defined by U.S. DOT Justice 40 Initiative} 

^{3 INRIX. 2024 Global Traffic Scorecard.}