What Are The Top ‘Private Car’ Rental Services?

Most of these firms have interactive mobile app and websites that bring both car owners and customers together, the apps can be used to manage rental bookings and even collect payments online. Below are some of the top 'private car’ rental services available today:

Formerly known as Relay Rides, Turo is a peer-to-peer carsharing service that provides unique opportunities for those seeking to rent vehicles. The company is currently based in San Francisco and allows car owners to transform their idling machines into private taxis.

Turo is different from other standard car rentals as it promises users quick, safe and straightforward services. Everything is available with them, whether it’s renting an F-150 lorry to help with moving out, a Tesla for fun weekend away or a classic Volkswagen mini-van for an exciting road trip, Turo has got you covered.

There are 100s of unique vehicles for every occasion and budget to choose from, plus you can get your preferred taxi at any time of the day or night at rates of up to 30pct less than the traditional agencies. This service gives users the opportunity to make bookings from home or even on the road:

How it works:

To enjoy these services, you must first sign up as a user on the Turo site by registering with Google, Facebook or even your email account. The company will then confirm your identity before being confirmed as a renter.

The next step is entering suitable travel dates and the location for locally available cars. Upon identifying the vehicle that you want, the next step is sending a rental request to the owner. He/She can either accept or decline your submission within a period of 8hrs. Nevertheless, there are vehicles that can be rented immediately using the 'Book Instantly’ badge.

Getaround is an online private taxi service that allows people to rent cars from individual owners, customers have an hourly charge option whereas owners earn a 60pct commission for their services. This site was officially launched to members of the public in May 2011, specifically at the TechCrunch Disrupt seminar. Even since that time, the company has grown to currently operate rentals in multiple cities across America such as Portland, Chicago, San Diego, Austin, Washington D.C and San Francisco Bay Area.

Getaround utilizes the operation principle of collaborative consumption. Nevertheless, it doesn’t require the firm to maintain any fleet of cars, but rather owners manage and determine how their own cars will be used.

Unlike other rental services, Getaround embraces technology fully as the company has CarKit app that allows users to enjoy secure access to the vehicle even when the owner is not present, this can be done through the iPhone near-field communication system. Other benefits of this technology are:

a) GPS tracking for location identification

b) Optional engine immobilization

c) Tamper detection

With Zipcar, subscribers are given a membership card which can then be used to reserve a car and drive it for a certain pre-determined period of time, eventually taking it back to its original location after the duration is over.

Zipcar was bought by Avis Budget Car Rental in 2013 and thus brings great efficiency to the table. They have a mobile app that offers great picture quality of the available cars that are also very easy to find. Moreover, once you locate your preferred car it can be accessed remotely through the RFID keyless technology, this means you don’t have to wait for the owner to come and open the door for you physically once the car is parked. Furthermore, since renters leave the vehicle at the same parking lot where they initially found it, there’s no stress looking for a new space to park or tickets to be paid.

With presence in more than 170 cities in America and Europe, Zipcar offers the widest network coverage of all peer-to-peer vehiclesharing services that are in existence today. This also provides a big opportunity for frequent travelers as they don’t have to use different taxi services each time they land in a new city.

How it works:

Every vehicle listed on Zipcar has a dedicated home area where you can access it and return after use. These are typically parking lots found near major business districts, universities and hospitals. All in all, this company operates in 60 cities around the world and also has separate partnerships with around 100 North American universities.

Membership application process:

To become a Zipcar member, there are certain requirements you need to meet first and these are having a credit card and driver’s license, providing basic contact details and paying a registration fee of 25 USD. For applicants from the U.S or Canada, the process is much easier and usually takes a few hours to complete.

Upon approval, you’ll receive a Zipcard membership card within a week’s time and you can begin using it immediately thereafter. It’s also possible to add co-drivers to the account, such as friends or family members, but they must also pass the necessary background check and pay membership fees as well.

Zilok is an open-source online private car rental service where you can find all types of vehicles to be hired, both luxury and modest car models are available. Zilok has a simple and intuitive interface that helps visitors to connect and facilitate rental transactions effortlessly, it’s an ingenious site that continues to get more active as the community grows.

The site provides a calendar where you can see the time availability of all listed vehicles, plus you can make secure payments to the owner online through PayPal. Unlike other private rental services, Zilok provides you the tools necessary for setting up terms and facilitating the car hire transaction online.

In summary, peer-to-peer carsharing is a convenient taxi service that’s also very easy to use.