Uber drives new car sharing deal

Local start-up DriveMyCar to offer its idle fleet cars to UberX drivers so they don’t have to own their own car.

DriveMyCar CEO Chris Noone. Source: Supplied.

UberX drivers in Australia will no longer have to use their own car, with peer-to-peer rental firm DriveMyCar inking a new agreement with Uber.

Local start-up DriveMyCar said the deal, announced today, would let both new and existing UberX drivers rent out idle corporate fleet cars as they go without having to shell out for a car of their own.

For $159 per week and no lock-in contracts UberX drivers can get a 150km per day allowance, insurance cover for accidental damage and theft along with 24/7 roadside assistance.

They can also choose which make and model car they want to drive including Toyota, Hyundai, Holden, Jeep, Audi and BMW.

“We were receiving inquiries from drivers looking for an affordable solution to renting a car specifically for UberX use. We worked with our insurance company to provide a policy that was compliant to the demands of the ridesharing industry, and we worked with Uber to make sure that we had the right types of vehicles available at the right time, for the right rental periods,” DriveMyCar chief Chris Noone said.

“We have huge expectations for this new deal as we’ve already had our entire UberX fleet rented out since launch. As a result, we’re seeing an increased interest from our corporate fleet providers who see an opportunity to provide vehicles for the growing ridesharing industry

“As ridesharing gets more traction all over Australia, DriveMyCar is in a really strong position to provide an affordable rental alternative which builds on our reputation as Australia’s first and largest peer-to-peer car rental platform.”

The deal is the latest local partnership for Uber, which has also recently struck deals with Optus and Westpac.