It’s your dad’s birthday. You’re from a Chicago suburb. But you live in Iowa City without a car. How do you make it home for the weekend?

You could have your parents pick you up, requiring a long round trip. You could endure a five-hour bus ride or pay $400 for a one-hour flight.

One solution to this problem could be to bring Zipcar back to Iowa City. Zipcar, which allows you to rent cars for a single day or weekend, is still on many Big Ten campuses. It would give students without cars more freedom to travel home or explore more of Iowa.

Zipcar was once in Iowa City but left three years ago, in 2021. It also had locations in Ames and Grinnell but no longer appears on its website, leaving Iowa as a dead zone for Zipcar.

However, with travel returning to normal post-pandemic, there is potential for Zipcar to make a comeback in Iowa. The state is also surrounded by others that still offer the service.

Zipcars are parked on the street, and app users can rent them for a set number of hours or days. To rent, all you need is a valid driver’s license and be at least 18  years old.

Zipcar is already designed for students, with nearby schools like Wisconsin and Illinois offering the service. It also has a student pricing plan to help lower costs for students.

Beyond traveling home, Zipcar would allow students to explore nearby areas. Just outside of Iowa City are many popular day trips like the Field of Dreams, the Amana Colonies, and Galena, Illinois. Students could experience more of the region’s culture and attractions.

Transportation can be unreliable. Bus or plane delays, cancellations by friends or family, and other travel issues showcase the need for another option to ensure trips happen as planned.

As of 2024, with no Zipcars in Iowa, Iowa City could be the ideal place to revive the service in the state. With many out-of-state students and nearby attractions, the service could draw in many users. Now is the time for Zipcar to return to Iowa.