Mobility is a necessity and finding the cheapest one is almost always the goal. Transportation is also one of the significant expenses for most businesses. Thankfully modern technology and smart business minds have provided an array of ride services to reduce costs and improve efficiency. However, there is much more than cost comparison that goes into the decision to choose the perfect option for your business or personal use. For the purpose of this article we will keep our attention to just car sharing Vs ridesharing.
The Destination Dilemma
Your destination will hold importance with your decision to choose whether to go for sharing a ride or renting one. If the route to your destination has a lot of traffic and you order a ride sharing service, it might take hours to reach you. With the rent model changed for ride hailing services, the time lost stuck in traffic can also make your bill go higher. In this case even if the rental costs you more, it will be a better choice. Then there is the option of public transport for the way. That is hands down the cheapest option but it probably will not be best suited to your purpose of trip, for instance if you are carrying laptop or other equipment on you.
The Safety Segment
No one is questioning your driving skills, but you should be honest with yourself when you are choosing which ride to go with. If you are tipsy or you are not an expert driver on roads with heavy traffic go for a ride sharing service instead of sitting behind the wheel of a rental car yourself. If you are travelling abroad or to a state where traffic laws are different, or even if you are not sure if they are different, it is better to have a driver along with the car. The international boundaries also lead to different insurance practices, so even if you have a car insurance or life insurance, it might not hold the same in your destination place as it does in your home town. Be wary of that too. Finally, the crime rate by the ride sharing drivers themselves is a factor you should consider. If you do not trust the drivers then having a car to drive on your own will be the better choice.
The Hassle Headache
For some people the hassle that has to go while choosing a car is one of the make or break factors. Even if you are not to run away from a little work to get the best deal, avoiding arguments and pointless debates over negotiations can have an effect on your mood and thereby make your journey better or worse. If you are going to rent a car, needless to say there will be some hassle. Even if you have a mobile app to do the job, there are choices to be made about the type of car, the time period you need, the extra expenses, insurance, and so on. A car sharing, in comparison, is hassle free. There is no need for documentation and you don’t have to take on the responsibility of the safety of the vehicle either. However, if not getting your choice of car or not having complete control of your drive make the definition for hassle for you, then a car rental is your best friend.
The Cost Corner
As was discussed in the beginning of this article, cost is sometimes the only consideration while making a decision for car rental Vs ridesharing. Although the exact prices of these two options vary according to the area, and sometimes also depending on the time of the day and the route of the journey. However, there is also the factor of paying per mile or per minute or a lump sum fixed amount depending on your chosen destination. In most cases both these options cost lower for ride sharing than renting a car altogether.
Secondly there is an insurance responsibility attached to the rental cars that you can avoid with ride sharing. The details of the auto insurance have already been covered in detail in another of our articles if you want to know more. However, this is one of those costs that you can completely avoid, albeit at a much higher risk of spending a lot more money in case of a mishap.
The Freedom Factor
Let’s be cheeky for a moment. If you are going to a date, you might not want a driver with you and your date during your journey. Likewise if you are travelling at an odd hour of the day, for instance really early in the morning, you might find it harder to get a ride sharing service or even if you find one it might come from a long distance costing you in terms of time. Likewise, if you are coming back from your homecoming or reunion at your former university you might not want to spend the evening worrying about not getting drunk above the legal limit because you have rented a car instead of choosing a ride sharing service.
Final word
There is no clear cut answer to car rental Vs ridesharing question, except the fact that if you know what you really need and want for a journey, your decision will be much easier. For a ride sharing service you will pay just for the distance and time for the journey without insurance hassles while with a rental you will have absolute control over your car and possibly some discounts and frequent usage packages that will lower the costs. Just stay honest to yourself about your driving skills, be aware of the location and destination, and consider all options available to you related to cost comparisons and otherwise. Happy roaming!