Car sharing gives people mobility options

Car sharing is a transportation option where guests book cars shared by hosts for short trips, errands, appointments, commuting, and other mobility requirements. While most car sharing guests use cars for a few hours, bookings by the day are available as well. Car sharing is not the same as car rental. Most car rental agencies rent cars they own or lease, usually by the day or longer.

Getaround embraces and promotes the sharing economy by offering the leading global and digital carsharing marketplace. These vehicles, shared by third-party hosts, provide on-demand mobility for people who do not otherwise have access to cars. Hosts list their cars for sharing and, using our app, guests can easily find, book, and unlock the type of vehicle they need when they need it.

“Car Sharing Market size exceeded USD 2.5 billion in 2019 and is poised to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of over 24% between 2020 and 2026.”
— Global Market Trends

Benefits of car sharing

Car sharing provides guests with access to shared cars without dealing with the high cost and extensive responsibilities of owning a car. While car rental is one option for mobility, car sharing is an attractive alternative for many guests.

Flexible

Use self-serve apps to book any time of day or night.

Convenient

Find, book, and unlock cars without contact with the owner or agency.

Short terms

Book vehicles by the hour, day, or longer.

Preapproval

Get approved with automated driving record checks.

Easy payment

Establish a verified payment method.

Close by

Access vehicles in convenient areas, often in dedicated parking spaces near public transport.

Insurance coverage

Be covered by liability insurance during trips.

Private ownership

Book cars owned by private individuals.

Safer

Eliminates sharing transportation with unknown drivers and passengers.

Why car sharing interest is growing

Guests

Car sharing guests enjoy the freedom of having a car for a few hours or the day. They can travel to multiple destinations without worrying about transportation options at each stop, and the vehicle provides a place to store purchases or has seats for passengers.

Car sharing also saves guests money because they don’t have the expenses associated with car ownership. Car sharing means guests can take frequent trips, and many choose car sharing because they feel safer in a private car.

Guests also appreciate the convenience of having a vehicle near their home. Not only do they book more often when cars are conveniently located, but car sharing also becomes a weekly or even daily routine for people without other mobility options.

Hosts

Business closures and job loss in 2020 left many people struggling with car payments, housing, and even food; it also created many entrepreneurial opportunities. With the income earned from car sharing, car owners can now afford to keep the family's primary vehicle despite a change in their income.

Single-car hosts are not the only people interested in starting a car sharing business. Individuals with multiple vehicles and small businesses host numerous vehicles for car sharing — a business model with worldwide appeal.

At Getaround, people with multiple vehicles are called power hosts and those with a single car are called hosts. Collectively, they are the supply network guests rely on for safe, affordable transportation.

Real estate developers

As developers monitor car sharing’s rising popularity, they are integrating car sharing into their housing projects to benefit future tenants. In some regions, municipalities require this type of planning, and it has led to a type of car sharing known as fractional ownership, which the homeowner association often underwrites. As with businesses, real estate developers need fewer parking spaces and massive parking structures because there is a set number of vehicles.

Governments

Municipalities and metropolitan areas are showing more interest in car sharing as well. Much of this interest is rooted in their desire to adhere to mobility policies while ensuring they meet their constituents' needs for affordable, efficient transit. They also see swelling market demand for shared cars, leading to a reduction in road and transit construction costs. Boston recently announced a partnership with Getaround to provide car sharing to residents.

Environmentally conscious and aware

Urban areas contain more than 80% of the U.S. population, yet even in well-served metro areas such as New York City, nearly half of the city's households own at least one car. There are many advantages to multiple households sharing a single vehicle. With fewer cars on the road, municipalities can reallocate land once destined for large parking structures as urban green space.

Reduced GHG emissions.
Guests choose smaller and newer cars more often.
Guests choose fuel-efficient and electric cars more often.

City parks and open spaces improve residents' quality of life and reduce global warming. All of this results in less demand for new car manufacturing and decreased diesel and gas consumption. It may also slow the demand for oil production and reduce oil rigs that disrupt marine animal habitats and behaviors.

Guests choose cars appropriate to the needs of the journey.
Guests drive fewer miles.
Guests use public transit, walking, and cycling more often.

Getaround makes cities and communities better places to live.

*Terms and conditions apply. This page constitutes an invitation to submit information to Getaround, and the submission of any such information does not create an agreement, obligation, or guarantee of any kind. Getaround’s Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and other policies referenced therein govern your use of this page and the Service (as defined in the Terms of Service). The Service is not available in all areas. All vehicles offered for participation in the Service must meet Getaround’s Vehicle Eligibility Requirements, and a vehicle’s eligibility is not a guarantee of such participation. Please see Getaround's Insurance Summary for a description of our trip insurance coverage; our insurance coverage does not cover incidents outside an active trip. To protect the privacy of our customers, actual names have not been used. Sharing your car on Getaround may violate the terms of your vehicle lease or loan agreement. We encourage you to review your lease or loan agreement before proceeding with the host set-up process.

Car sharing is growing in popularity around the world.