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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University will begin a car-sharing initiative on campus March 29 that will provide OSU students who are at least 18 years old - as well as faculty and staff who sign up for the program - access to a pair of hybrid vehicles to rent.

In partnership with WeCar, a car-sharing program from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, the new service is designed to offer a transportation alternative for students who may not need a car on campus full-time.

"By providing the option for students and others to have access to a vehicle only when they need one, we hope to reduce the overall number of cars on campus and ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Brandon Trelstad, OSU's sustainability coordinator.

The WeCar program will begin by offering the OSU campus community access to two hybrid Toyota Prius vehicles located on campus. The vehicles can be rented hourly, overnight or for a full day, and reservations can be made online at any time. Similar programs are springing up on college campuses across the country and are popular with students.

The program is "a convenient, environmentally friendly, totally automated solution to parking and transportation challenges at the university," said Ryan Johnson, assistant vice president of WeCar.

OSU students, staff and faculty may sign up for the program at www.wecar.com.

Trelstad said the program is one of several transportation initiatives OSU is undertaking to increase its sustainability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among the other efforts:

• Agreements with several local transit systems that encourage OSU students and employees to use local buses;
• A free campus shuttle;
• Access to human-powered "pedicab" services;
• Emergency ride-home services;
• Preferential parking for van pools and participation in numerous carpooling services;
• Secure bicycle parking.

OSU's main campus has been designated as one of the "Best Workplaces for Commuters" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.