Getaround

Carsharing service

Getaround is an online car sharing or peer-to-peer carsharing service that connects drivers who need cars with car owners who share their cars in exchange for payment. Drivers can rent cars by the hour, day, or month. Most commonly, drivers will book cars for weekend getaways, travel, or even quick errands around town.

Drivers can use the Getaround app to perform the checkin process and unlock the car.

Getaround launched to the public on May 24, 2011, at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference. The company operates in most cities throughout the United States including (but not limited to): Boston, Chicago, San Francisco Bay Area, New Jersey, Portland, Seattle, Philadelphia, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, San Diego, Los Angeles, Denver, and Washington D.C.^[2]

History

Getaround was founded in 2009 by Sam Zaid, Jessica Scorpio, and Elliot Kroo. In May 2011, Getaround won the TechCrunch Disrupt New York competition.^[3] In 2012, Getaround began serving Portland, Oregon with the aid of a $1.725 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration.^[4]

In November 2016, Getaround reached an agreement with City CarShare to take over its fleet, parking spaces and member base.^[5]

In August 2018, Getaround raised $300 million in fundings from Softbank.^[6]

In April 2019, Getaround absorbed the carsharing platform Drivy for $300 million^[7][8] and rebranded as Getaround six months later.^[9]

In May 2022, Getaround announced an agreement to merge with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) to start selling shares of the organization on the New York Stock Exchange. Listed as ‘GETR’, the company would have a equity value of $1.2 billion.^[10]

In May 2023, Getaround Acquires HyreCar Assets to Accelerate Profitability Path and Fortify Worldwide Gig Carsharing Leadership Position

In February 2024, Getaround Announces Leadership Transition in Continued Drive for Global Growth and Profitability

Mission Statement

Offering a digital experience, Getaround makes sharing cars and trucks simple through its proprietary cloud and in-car Connect® technology.

Getaround’s mission is to utilize its peer-to-peer marketplace to help solve some of the most pressing challenges facing the world today, including environmental sustainability and access to economic opportunity.

How It Works

For Drivers

Before the trip

• Book a Car
  • Choose your ideal car from the available ones nearby.
  • You can filter by car type, price, and other features you might need
• Verify your profile
  • Upload photos of your license and ID.
  • You only need to do this the first time you use Getaround Connect.

During the trip

• Access the car with your phone
  • Use the app to perform the checkin process, then unlock the car in one tap.
• Enjoy the drive
  • 10 mi/hour up to 200 mi, then 200 mi/day and secondary drivers are included.
  • Manage your entire trip with the app.
  • Trips on Getaround are covered by insurance and 24/7 customer support.
  • You can choose the Plus or Premium protection plan for peace of mind.

After the trip

• Return the car
  • Use the app to check out and end your trip. Leave the keys inside the car and lock it with your phone.
  • The rental price will be automatically adjusted if you’ve driven further than expected or didn’t refill the fuel tank (see details).
• Earn credits for your next trip
  • Share your referral code with your friends, and they’ll get $20 credit.
  • When they complete their first trip, you’ll also get $20 credit!

For Car Owners

• List your car
  • Fill in essential information about your car, then we'll call you to plan the installation of our device.
• Receive bookings
  • After an identity check, drivers can book your car when you make it available.
• Rent effortlessly
  • Drivers can locate your car, unlock and lock it with their phone after doing an exterior walk-around.
• Get paid
  • You get a bank transfer 5 working days after each rental - including compensation for extra fuel or mileage.

References

1. "Getaround". www.getaround.com. Retrieved 2017-11-08.
2. "Getaround Expands To Boston", Newswire, May 10, 2017.
3. DesMarais, Christina."Getaround Named 2011 TechCrunch Disrupt Winner" Archived 2011-11-11 at the Wayback Machine, Technology Inc., May 26, 2011.
4. Tomio Geron (13 December 2011). "Getaround Brings Car-Sharing To Oregon With Federal Grant". Forbes.com. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
5. Carolyn Said (10 November 2016). "City CarShare hands over on-demand auto rentals to Getaround". Sfchronicle.com. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
6. "Car-sharing startup Getaround raises $300 million in funding led by SoftBank". Reuters.com. 21 August 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
7. "Übernahme von Drivy: Carsharing-Riese Getaround drängt nach Europa" (in German). Retrieved 2019-04-24.
8. Dickey, Megan Rose. "Getaround acquires European car rental platform Drivy for $300 million". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
9. Dillet, Romain (2019-01-17). "Drivy rebrands to Getaround six months after acquisition". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2019-10-17.
10. "Car-Sharing Startup Getaround Agrees to $1.2 Billion SPAC Merger". Bloomberg. 11 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.