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RentMyRide returns to take on traditional car rental firms

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 04 Aug 2021

Following a period of being offline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RentMyRide is back online to take on traditional car rental companies.

This, after the Cape Town-based tech start-up relaunched its platform, with rentals starting now in August.

Modelled on car-sharing platforms like Turo in the US and the Netherlands' SnappCar, RentMyRide is a peer-to-peer car rental marketplace that lets car owners rent out their vehicles as a way to earn some extra money.

Rentals are available from local car owners in major cities and towns, like Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Bloemfontein.

Sebastian Brokmann, CEO and co-founder of RentMyRide, tells ITWeb the platform was taken offline due to COVID-19 and the circumstances around it, adding that the relaunched version comes with improvements to benefit users.

“During this time, we have rebuilt the whole platform, including all the tech and processes, to create a far better and improved customer journey.”

He adds: "As we slowly start moving towards the end of this COVID-19 period and people are starting to slowly return to normalcy, it was identified that there is increased financial pressure on people whereby they may have lost their jobs and are requiring another or additional source of income.

"RentMyRide's platform allows people to list their cars and create income. With the change in the work environment as more people have been working remotely from home, the team is hoping that more people will be keen and able to list their cars for others to rent."

For owners, RentMyRide allows them to list their car on the system as a means of earning extra income on their car and turning it into a useful asset. Renters are able to select a car from an array of local options that they would like to rent.

To safeguard its community of users, RentMyRide points out that renters have to meet very strict eligibility requirements, such as being in possession of a valid driver’s licence, a mobile phone in their name, a form of identity and they must pass a fraud and credit screening.

Additionally, it provides insurance to ensure everyone's safety.

Brokmann says a person can rent a car from R250 per day. However, the owner of the vehicle decides the price. “In this way, it is similar to Airbnb, where the owner determines the price.”

Although RentMyRide competes with traditional car rental companies as well as the traditional car sales industry, Brokmann notes theirs is an option for those who are unable to purchase their own vehicle at this time or need to delay that purchase.

“RentMyRide wants to go places with its consumers without weighing them down financially. For those who choose to rent out their vehicle, the commercial opportunities are endless, and for those who choose to rent, the street cred is granted without any long-term contracts.”

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