Hertz launches car sharing service: Connect

Following the lead of ZipCar, Hertz is launching its own car sharing service under the "Connect by Hertz" brand. Hertz is starting with a slow roll out in New York City, Park Ridge, NJ, London and Paris. The initial fleet of 35 cars in New York includes MINIs, Camrys and Priuses. All of the Connect by Hertz cars are equipped with GPS systems, bluetooth and EZ-Pass for getting through toll booths. Hertz is offering a number of rate plans ranging from $50 a year to $125 per month (yes, you read that right. The plans are quite different). Hourly rental fees start from $8.50 for a Prius and, like ZipCar and other services, gas, insurance and maintenance are included in the rates.

[Source: New York Times]