During DU’s Winter Carnival in Keystone from Feb 3 to 5, I had the opportunity to try out the new car sharing company, Maven. Maven started development in 2015 and was formally launched in January. of 2016. Maven is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors (GM) and has now launched in 17 cities across the United States and Canada.

The company has 60 cars spread throughout Denver. Maven’s fleet features cars ranging  from the Chevy Volt to the GMC Yukon. When compared to other car-sharing services like ZipCar or car2go, Maven is competitive on all fronts.

Maven’s most affordable option is the Chevy Cruze which starts at $8 per hour or $80 per day, plus taxes. According to Zipcar’s website, Maven’s base price is 20 percent cheaper  than other car sharing programs and doesn’t charge any monthly membership fees. Maven also includes all the gas you need, insurance for the car and 180 miles per day- something that other car sharing companies don’t include.

Maven vehicles also include a ton of features, such as Apple Carplay and Android Auto. On my trip, I used Apple Carplay with my iPhone, and in a car sharing environment,  it’s a game changer. Upon plugging in one’s phone, the interface is familiar and loads all of your music, contacts and destinations.

“We’re seeing strong utilization. Our adoption is strong. We’re growing and the feedback from members has been great,” said Lindsey Whiddon, the general manager of Maven’s Denver market.

For the weekend, I drove a 2016 GMC Yukon that could fit seven. The Yukon was also fully  loaded. The car was an absolute  hit with my friends, as the large vehicle could hold all of our ski equipment without a problem (all of Maven’s SUVs come equipped with ski racks in the winter and bike racks in the summer).

Reserving and using the Maven vehicle is unbelievably simple with their apps for iOS and Android. Within the app, you select, book and use your phone to unlock the car. There are no keys to lose or fumble with. This made me a bit nervous as we drove out of Denver and into the mountains, but I never once had an issue connecting to the vehicle. I picked up the Yukon in downtown Denver, which was incredibly simple using light rail.  As you approach the vehicle, using bluetooth and WiFi, the vehicle measures your distance and unlocks functionality in the app.

Maven hopes to expand their offerings with DU students in the future, as they currently only feature a GMC Acadia on campus (located on the corner of Evans Avenue and University Boulevard).

Maven works very well for college students, as most only need to drive seldom and could end up saving quite a bit of money by getting rid of personal vehicles.

Between gas, parking and insurance, bringing a car on campus can cost over $175 per month. Using Maven to get around town is very easy and convenient, and I give it a two thumbs up review.

You can use the code “DUClarion” for 20 percent off your first drive this month with Maven.