New Orleans, LA – The Domain Companies and Enterprise Rent-A-Car will introduce Enterprise CarShare to the South Market District in Downtown New Orleans, making it the first public car- sharing operation in the city. The announcement represents an economic win for New Orleans as the popularity of car sharing increases nationwide and the green benefits of such services take on greater importance.
“We’re proud to partner with The Domain Companies on the launch of our first retail Enterprise CarShare program in New Orleans,” said Alexis Hocevar, vice president/general manager for Enterprise in Southern Louisiana. “We’ve been servicing local transportation needs in New Orleans for decades and it’s exciting to extend that service to provide a convenient, sustainable car-share solution in the South Market District.
The service will feature easy, automated access for users 21 years of age and up, 24/7 customer service, roadside assistance, an onboard fuel card, and a simple rental and return process. Four vehicles will initially be offered: two hybrids, one full-size sedan, and one traditional van. The vehicles will be located in The Park, part of the South Market District’s first phase of development currently scheduled for completion by October. The Park will be the exclusive location for Enterprise CarShare within the Downtown Development District of New Orleans (DDD). The Park will also feature a bike-sharing program for South Market residents, and is the first public parking garage in the city to offer electric car charging stations.
Sustainable transportation is central to Enterprise CarShare’s mission, with groups participating in the program seeing carbon footprint reduction and cost reduction per mile. Positioning the service in the South Market District, which will include over 700 new luxury apartments and 200,000 square feet of retail space once completed, will place these sustainable benefits in the heart of Downtown.
“The South Market District is at the center of an unprecedented transformation taking place in Downtown New Orleans,” said Matt Schwartz, Co-Founder of The Domain Companies, South Market’s developer. “With new housing, retail, entertainment and now services like Enterprise CarShare, Downtown continues to develop as a vibrant and exciting neighborhood in which to live and work. Our partnership with Enterprise adds another unique amenity and convenience for our residents and for the entire Downtown community.”
“More than ever, the people who are driving the growth of Downtown tell us that they prefer to walk, use public transit, or use other shared transportation options,” said DDD President and CEO Kurt Weigle. “The Domain Companies and Enterprise CarShare’s new venture is an important expansion of Downtown’s mobility options and the DDD congratulates them on advancing our collective vision of Downtown New Orleans through this new initiative.”
The partnership between Domain Companies and Enterprise CarShare will ultimately provide a cost-effective alternative to car ownership and a hassle-free supplement to public transit. Enterprise CarShare has 40 dedicated government and business accounts and is available on more than 90 university campuses and in more than 15 major metropolitan markets. Enterprise operates more than 80 car rental branch offices in Louisiana, with nearly 20 offices within the City of New Orleans. In addition, Enterprise offers car-sharing services on the campuses of Tulane and Loyola University.
For more information about Enterprise CarShare, visit www.enterprisecarshare.com, the Enterprise CarShare Facebook page, or follow @carshare on Twitter.
For more information about the South Market District, visit www.southmarketdistrict.com, South Market’s Facebook page, or follow @SOMADistrict on Twitter.