Zipping around

A reader who lives in the Gumball Factory Condominiums tells me that Zipcar now has two vehicles available from the parking lot adjacent to that building, which is at the intersection of Orleans and Gove streets.

Zipcar, which was founded in Cambridge eight years ago and now offers car rentals for periods as brief as one hour in cities around the country, was courted by the condo's board for a few months and the company agreed to a six-month trial period in East Boston. If there is a decent amount of business the vehicles will remain available in the neighborhood after that, so residents who have been taking the T to pick up Zipcars, as well as those who have never used the service, are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity.