Why the Future of the Auto Industry Lies in Car-Sharing
For decades, people all around the world have had to put up with the hassle of car rentals. Traditionally, you would need to book a car well in advance of your trip, fill out numerous pages of paperwork, and spend hours just to get the keys and be on your way. However, this is all changing with the rise of car sharing. If you are unfamiliar with the term, car-sharing refers to the practice of short-term car-sharing, usually quickly organized through an online service or mobile app. Mobility services like Ridecell provide a platform for car-sharing and ride-sharing operations, allowing users to rent a car with minimal hassle through these services. Car sharing is a booming business, with the potential to forever transform the auto industry and the way users get around.
Types of Car-Sharing
1.Round-trip
With a round-trip rental, users pick up a car (or it is delivered directly to them) and they set off on their trip, delivering the car at the same location where they picked it up.
2. One-way
One-way rental allows users to pick up a car in one location and drop it off in a different location, usually in a different city, state, or country.
3. Personal vehicle car sharing
This type of car-sharing is quickly becoming the most popular, with the cars being provided by private individuals rather than company fleets. The car is booked through a mobility service, and rented from the owner and returned to them at the completion of the trip.
4. Fractional ownership
With fractional ownership, several people co-own a car and use it for transportation when they need it.
Benefits of Car-Sharing
1. Savings
Renting a car through a car-sharing service is very affordable when compared to typical rental from a rental shop. This is because car-sharing services will usually allow you to rent the car for just one hour (or similarly short period of time), as opposed to renting the car for a full day. Additionally, car-sharing services rarely require deposits and additional fees levied to pay for the rental office and services.
2. Convenience
Nobody likes filling in paperwork, looking for fine print and worrying that they are signing away their soul during the car rental. Fortunately, car-sharing services usually have a streamlined mobile application or online cabinet, where you can register in a matter of minutes, fill in your personal details, and order a rental right away, without prior booking and consultation. Adding to the convenience is the ability to view the various available cars and their specs before you make your choice.
3. Environmentally-friendly
Car-sharing is not just a good solution for consumers; it is also good for the environment. Renting a car can eliminate the need to buy one for yourself, and with fewer cars on the road, there are fewer emissions and less congested traffic. The carbon footprint of this one rented car will be much smaller when compared to that of all its users’ cars if they were to buy and drive them.