Car-sharing platform offers alternative to renting automobiles

CHARLOTTE — Are you renting a car over the Thanksgiving weekend? The pandemic forced many rental companies to sell off some of their fleet, resulting in the high demand for cars.

Car-sharing companies offer drivers cars to rent.

Turo is the world’s largest peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace.

[Turo: 5 Things To Know About the Cheap Car Rental Service]

Turo’s website lets you search for cars in your area and over 6,000 cities in the U.S., Canada and U.K.

You contact the person renting the car and arrange a place to meet. Some drivers will deliver it to you.

Turo chief marketing officer Andrew Mok explains the appeal for hosts to sign up.

“Cars are underutilized,” Mok said. “They are depreciating assets that are costing you money every day. And 95% of the day, the car is sitting idle.”

The car owner can make some money, and Turo said the renter can save some money.

Channel 9 compared prices Dec. 10 through 12.

Enterprise at the airport offered a Ford Edge, or a similar car, for $124 a day. After taxes and fees, it was $332 for the weekend.

On Turo, a 2021 Ford Edge was $75 a day in Charlotte.

After fees and the minimal insurance coverage option, the cost was $200.

Enterprise offered a full-size SUV, a Chevy Tahoe or something similar for $129 per day, or $344 total.

[‘It’s not fair’: Car loan clauses that could cost you your job]

A Turo host was offering their 2020 Ford Expedition for $90 a day, or $258 total.

Turo uses Liberty Mutual for its insurance company.

You can choose no coverage, but you should check your insurance to ensure it will cover any damage.

Turo officials say some insurance companies exclude coverage for peer-to-peer car sharing.

The examples Channel 9 used with Enterprise offered unlimited mileage. Turo’s maximum amount of miles for the Edge was 400 miles and for the Expedition, it was 200 miles.

(Watch the video below: Local Lyft, Uber drivers push ride-sharing companies to do more to keep them safe.)

Local Lyft, Uber drivers push ride-sharing companies to do more to keep them safe. Local Lyft, Uber drivers push ride-sharing companies to do more to keep them safe.

©2021 Cox Media Group