EasyCar scheme to allow people to rent private cars

The founder of easyJet has unveiled a new program that will enable car owners to rent their vehicles out.

Travel Insurance News - 12/12/2011

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Branded easyCar, the new program comes via easyJet entrepreneur Stelios Haji-Ioannou as well as lastminute.com figurehead Brent Hoberman. It allows consumers rent out their personal vehicles whilst not using them and also enables consumers to take advantage of a lower-cost alternative to traditional car rental policies.

Project officials also say it will allow car owners to generate income to help pay for vehicle ownership.

The scheme is slated to commence a trial run in the spring of next year; the pilot will involve some 1,000 private vehicles in the London area, the owners of which will be able to rent them to neighbours.

EasyGroup chairman Haji-Ioannou said in a statement on Monday that the new car hire scheme could become a standard for car rentals and vehicle ownership in cities of the future. He said the scheme would take advantage of “lazy capital” via making use of the many cars already on the road rather than purchasing an entire new fleet to be commissioned for rental.

Hoberman, who founded lastminute.com, added that with the current economic environment being in the doldrums that now was the “right time” for the launch of such a program.

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