In a twist on apps-based ride services, which KQED has been covering, a San Francisco-based company has become the first ride-service business to begin operating legally at San Francisco International Airport.
RelayRides lets Bay Area travelers to park for free at hotels near SFO. Their cars are rented out to visitors during their trips. The move pits the startup against traditional rental car companies, rather than smaller car-sharing businesses like ZipCar or ride-services like Lyft, Uber and Sidecar.
RelayRide's website touts its service:
Free parking at SFO.
Fast airport shuttle.
Free car wash.
And even $20 off a car rental for your trip.RelayRides offers all of this to you for free by renting out your car to approved travelers while you're away. Your car is protected under our $1M insurance.
Car owners who sign up with RelayRides save big on parking fees, which can cost between $18 and $36 a day at SFO's parking lots, and get free rides to and from the airport on hotel shuttles. Those who want to rent cars from RelayRides pay up to 40 percent less than what traditional rental car companies charge, say company officials, depending on the type of car. (RelayRides offers car rentals at 200 airports across the country.)
According to the company's website, all vehicles are washed before they are returned, and anyone who is approved to rent them undergoes a background check. RelayRides has leased parking spaces at two hotel parking lots near the airport in Millbrae — the Westin San Francisco Airport and the Aloft San Francisco Airport.