Car sharing program debuts in Denver

DENVER — A national car-sharing program has made its way to Colorado.

Getaround is a car-sharing program that permits users to rent and drive cars owned by people in their neighborhood. It permits people to live car-free but have access to vehicles whenever needed. It also permits people with cars to have access to speciality vehicles when they have a load to haul or want a recreational experience. Or, people can enter their own vehicles into the network and make them available for rental income.

Getaround uses iOS or Android applications.

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“As we approach the holiday travel season and, of course, ski season, we’re thrilled to bring our car-sharing platform to Denver,” Sam Zaid, co-founder and CEO of Getaround, said in a written statement. “Today, consumers demand accessibility, variety and instant gratification, and Getaround addresses all of those needs. Residents and visitors of Denver not only have an opportunity to embrace Getaround’s eco-friendly ethos, but they’ll also have fun renting a Subaru, Tesla or hybrid SUV to explore the city and beyond.”

Car sharing is part of a strategy to get cars off the roads and reduce impacts of traffic. A study by the University of California Transportation Sustainability Research Center found that for every car shared approximately 10 are taken off the road. In turn, every 1,000 vehicles shared reduces up to 50 million pounds of carbon dioxide.

“Nearly one-in-five downtown Denver households don’t own vehicles, but those that do, often have multiple cars for special use cases, such as a second car just for the mountains,” said Zach Houck, general manager of Getaround Denver. “Those residents can now instantly monetize their primary car, or extra car that’s used occasionally, while also providing a sustainable way for car-free locals and tourists to enjoy Denver.”

Each car on the platform is equipped with Getaround Connect, a proprietary technology that enables renters to locate and unlock the car using the app, removing the need to meet the owner in-person for a manual key exchange. By operating exclusively through the app and online, Getaround also removes the paperwork traditionally associated with car rentals. Getaround touts all-inclusive safety features, such as insurance and 24/7 roadside assistance, for which many rental services charge extra, the company said.

Getaround now operates in 90 cities across the country.