Forget GPS—customers in ten major U.S. cities can now book professional chauffeurs for their rental cars. Car rental giant Avis has teamed up with WeDriveU, a private chauffeur service, to make this convenient new option available to Avis Preferred members.
With Avis Chauffeur Drive, fully insured and certified drivers, who know the ins and outs of local thoroughfares and can navigate city streets with ease, pick up customers in their rental cars from baggage claim or passenger loading zones, chauffeur them around town, and can drop them off and return their rentals at the end of their trip. There's no need to wrestle with maps and directions, and customers can get work done while en route to their destination, making the time savings alone worth it for business travellers in a crunch. And offering customers the best of both worlds: a driver for the part of their trip they need one, and just the car for the rest of the journey.
The service is priced at USD 30 per hour, with a 3-hour minimum, in addition to standard rental car charges—an estimated 35% less than customers might spend on standard car and driver services. Customers can reserve chauffeurs up to 24 hours in advance in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. But there’s no reason why this concept couldn't take off in other regions or industries—entrepreneurs in any hire business should consider how their clients might benefit from booking professionals along with their rentals. For an extensive look at the role of rental in the experience economy, check out trendwatching.com's transumers briefing.
Website: www.avis.com/driver
Contact: info@wedriveu.com
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Avis & WeDriveu.com have teamed up, but it's not at all what it seems to be.
In New Jersey, USA, all "For Hire" vehicles must be registered & insured as for hire. If there is an accident and the vehicle is not registered as a limo or omnibus, the driver & passenger will not have any insurance coverage. NJ also requires that all vehicles who are properly registered and insured as "for hire", will have limousine or
omnibus plates.
Without this requires registration, the vehicle is being driven illegally. Also, there is a state statute 39:3-19.1 that requires this and is fined with a monetary fine & or imprisonment.
This is not apples vs. apples. If your publication states that this is a legal alternative and the passenger takes this service and is involved in an accident, you and your publication may have litigation brought about. Especially after the passenger finds out he/she has no coverage due to the car being driven illegally. It doesn't matter how much commercial insurance the company might have. Each & every car must be properly and individually registered & insured as "for hire".
This scheme attempts to circumvent local and state laws with respect to vehicles and drivers for hire. Both corporate entities would argue we rent the cars, you hire the drivers, ergo there is no 'for hire' staus under applicable law.
Already this scheme has been outlawed at San Francisco Airport, with the rest of the state of california to follow.
Imagine whose insirance applies in the event of an accident?
Avis? Not if you dont buy their added policy? Not Wedriveu? Its Avis' car and you rented it? Not the renter's insurance company, the hired driver isnt their insured? Not the driver unless of course he has a specific coverage for commercial activity?
I worked for wedriveu beverly Hills, there were no discussions in this regard what so ever.
We also have the same service here in the Philippines (http://www.cebutrip.com/) If by any chance you'd visit the Philippines, specifically Cebu City, just look for us.
cebu car rental | July 31, 2007 6:33 PM