TAMPA BAY, Fla. — Would you willingly let a stranger borrow your car? Hundreds of people in the Tampa Bay area are doing just that by using car-sharing website and apps.
Samuel Silva lives in Tampa and has used the app Turo since January.
“A lot of people were like that’s crazy. That’s your personal vehicle. I would never do that,” he said.
He lists his Honda Odyssey on the site for about $65 a day.
Users can select dates and times, then browse available vehicles.
Silva and his wife allow people to pick up the van at their house or they meet somewhere.
“It’s a very easy transaction,” Silva said.
So far, he hasn’t had any issues. Turo hosts have a one-million dollar liability insurance policy.
Silva says most of the people who rent his vehicle are mostly from out-of-state vacationing in the area. He expects to make around $10,000 from the service this year.
Turo brands itself as an alternative to rental cars.
ABC Action News compared prices on the site to rental cars available at Tampa International Airport through Expedia and if you are looking to reserve the day of Turo seems cheaper. But, the prices are comparable if you book in advance.
There are a handful of car-sharing websites and apps available. The peer-to-peer car-sharing service Getaround recently launched in Miami. Officials say there are no plans to expand to Tampa right now.
Turo leaders say the company sees signs of growth in the Tampa Bay area because it is a major tourist destination.
