Flexicar
Summary
Want to drive with Uber but don't have the right car? Rent an Uber-ready car with Flexicar's vehicle rental service.
With Uber, Ola and Taxify operating in Australia, ridesharing has become huge Down Under. As people turn away from traditional taxis and choose the convenience and affordability of ridesharing services, drivers can make a decent income by driving for one or more rideshare companies.
But there's a catch: you have to drive a certain type of car.
Details
Product Details
| Product Name | Flexicar Rental |
| Excess Distance Cost | per km |
| Membership Fee | $49 |
To be approved as a driver, you need to have access to a vehicle that fits the criteria set by the ridesharing company. If you don’t want to buy a new car to satisfy the vehicle requirements, vehicle rental services like Flexicar have stepped in to provide an alternative. Rideshare drivers can rent an Uber-friendly car on an hourly or daily basis and make money driving the car for a rideshare company.
Read on to find out how to rent an Uber-ready car with Flexicar's vehicle rental service.
Main points to consider about renting a vehicle through Flexicar
- Flexicar vehicles live in their own designated parking spots, called "pods". Initially only available in Melbourne, there are now Flexicar pods available in most major cities across Australia.
- Sedans and wagons are available, but all Flexicar vehicles are automatic with five seats, air-conditioning and CD players.
- Like traditional car rental companies, Flexicar daily or hourly rental prices include car registration, maintenance and cleaning. Unlike regular car rental, Flexicar prices include petrol.
- An annual membership fee of $49 ($35 for students) includes comprehensive damage insurance and roadside assistance.
- You need to return the car with at least a quarter of a tank of petrol when you return it, or you will be charged a $50 fee.
- You must return Flexicar vehicles to the same location at the end of the booking. One-way trips are not permitted.
Features of Flexicar’s vehicle rental
- P-plate drivers and drivers with international licenses are able to become a Flexicar member and rent a vehicle. However, Uber and most rideshare companies will only accept drivers with a full licence, so P-plate drivers can only use a Flexicar vehicle for their own use. Learner drivers will have to wait until they have their P-plates before joining Flexicar.
- Flexicar will check your driving record during the application process.
- There are no contracts or minimum membership terms.
- Car rentals can be any length of time between 1 hour and 5 days. For rentals longer than 5 days, Flexicar members are encouraged to book a traditional rental car through Hertz and will receive a 20% discount.
- Flexicar vehicles are fitted with a device near the driver's side windshield. Fifteen minutes before the start of your vehicle booking, you will receive a six-digit code by SMS and through the app. Once you locate the car in its pod, enter the code into the device and the car will unlock. The car keys and fuel card are kept inside the car. At the end of your booking, return the car to the same pod and use the same code to lock the car and end the booking.
- You can switch between different membership levels at any time which can be helpful if your driving patterns change. Plan changes can be made online and take immediate effect.
- Hourly rentals include unlimited kilometres. Daily rentals include 100 kilometres for the intro plan (pay as you go with no monthly fee) and 150 kilometres for all other plans. Additional kilometres cost between 25c and 39c per kilometre depending on the plan.
- When you book a car, an estimate of the total cost is pre-authorised from your credit card. Once you have returned the car, the payment is taken and a receipt is issued.
How much does it cost to rent a vehicle with Flexicar?
- There are no joining fees with Flexicar.
- All users pay an annual membership fee of $49 or $35 for students. This fee includes comprehensive damage insurance and roadside assistance.
- Choose between four different driving plans, depending on how often you plan to drive.
Plan Intro Light Moderate Regular Monthly cost (as driving credit) $0 $50 $100 $200 Hourly rate $13.50 $11.25 $10.50 $8.95 Daily rate $79 $69 $65 $55 - An insurance excess of $1200 applies, which increases to $1500 for drivers under 21 and to $3000 for prestige and commercial vehicles. You can reduce the excess to $0 by paying an additional $15 per day or $2 per hour, except for prestige and commercial vehicles where you cannot waive the excess.
- As the driver, you are responsible for paying your own tolls. Flexicar vehicles are fitted with eTAGs, and tolls are charged to your account, plus an admin fee of 20c.
- Other fees and fines may be charged, making it very important that you become familiar with the full set of fees and fines before you sign up. Many of the fees relate to breaching the terms and conditions, like a $100 fee for a non-member driving the car and a $100 fee for leaving the car unlocked. Other fees are less obvious, such as a $5 fee for making a phone booking and a $50 fee for returning the car late, even if you advised Flexicar about the late return in advance.
How to sign up with Flexicar
Fill in this simple form to join Flexicar. You will need to choose whether you're joining as a standard member or as a student or business.
You will need to provide your personal contact details, including your date of birth, mobile number and home address. You will need to enter information about your driver's licence and to choose a plan based on how often you intend to book a Flexicar vehicle.
After you have submitted the form, Flexicar will check your driving record and will send a follow-up email within a few days.
The follow-up email will either complete the process or ask for more information. International drivers may need to provide their passport details.
Once you have provided all necessary information, your application should be processed within 24 to 48 hours. As soon as your account is created, you're ready to make your first booking!
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