The Airbnb Of Cars Is Here, Allowing Owners To Rent Out Their Vehicles
(CBS Chicago) – Car payments can be a necessary evil for some, but hundreds of owners in Chicago and Evanston are now helping pay for their cars by renting them out.
Is it worth the risk? CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports.
Lakeview resident Mike Conti doesn't drive his truck much. Others do.
"My car, I would say, four out of seven days a week, sits idle. So, if there's a way to monetize that, then why not?" he says.
His car is one of 200 available to rent in Chicago and Evanston, by the hour, day, or week – via Getaround. It has been likened to Airbnb for cars.
Sixteen months after launching the app, Getaround manager Brian Pogrund says there are more than 20,000 users. The cars' owners set their price, within 10 percent of what Getaround recommends. Prices start at $5 an hour.
Renters can drive away with just a click on their phone.
Renters have to register with Getaround first. Pogrund says it could take up to 48 hours before that first rental is allowed, to ensure renters are responsible.
Kuu Hubbard is sold on the idea.
"Everything is located around the neighborhood. It's easier to return cars. It's a lot simpler," Hubbard says.
Drivers have to return the car within a certain radius of the original parking spot.
Pogrund says Getaround is fully insured. However, car owners have to pay a $99 enrollment fee and a $20-a-month software fee, so it could take a bit to recoup that money.
