Innovative car hire scheme introduced for council staff

The councils ​have​ ​teamed​ ​up​ ​with​ ​nationwide​ ​car​ ​sharing​ ​service​ ​HiyaCar, which​ ​enable​s ​staff​ ​to​ ​rent​ ​a colleague’s​ ​car​ ​for​ ​council​ ​business​ ​during​ ​the​ ​working​ ​day.

The​ ​authorities​ ​are​ ​pioneering​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of ​keyless​ ​technology​ ​in​ ​offering​ ​the​ ​service,​ ​which​ ​is described​ ​as​ ​‘an​ ​Airbnb​ ​for​ ​cars’, a council spokesman said.

Councillor​ ​Diane​ ​Guest,​ ​Worthing​ ​Borough​ ​Council’s​ ​executive​ ​member​ ​for​ ​environment, said:​ ​​“HiyaCar​ ​is​ ​a​ ​simple​ ​and​ ​cost​ ​efficient way​ ​to​ ​undertake​ ​business​ ​travel​ ​in​ ​a sustainable​ ​and​ ​community-spirited​ ​way.

“It’s​ ​a​ ​win-win​ ​for​ ​everyone​ ​involved​ ​and​ ​will enable​ ​the​ councils​ ​to​ ​be​ ​leaders​ ​by example​ ​for​ ​the​ ​wider​ ​community.”

The​ ​scheme​ ​works​ ​at​ ​the​ ​swipe​ ​of​ ​a​ ​smartphone – ​no​ ​exchange of​ ​keys​ ​is​ ​needed​ ​–​ ​earning​ ​money​ ​for​ ​the​ ​car​ ​owner​ ​as​ ​well​ ​as making​ ​use​ ​of​ ​a​ ​vehicle​ ​that​ ​may​ ​otherwise​ ​sit​ ​unused.

This stands​ ​to​ ​help​ ​the​ ​councils​ ​save​ ​money​, ​because the​ ​service​ ​could​ ​ultimately​ ​reduce​ ​the​ ​need​ ​for,​ ​and​ ​costs​ ​of,​ ​pool​ ​cars,​ ​directing​ ​cash​ ​into the​ ​local​ ​economy​ ​instead, according to the spokesman.

There​ ​are​ also ​wider​ ​benefits​ ​in​ ​using​ ​sustainable​ ​transport,​ ​which​ ​promotes​ ​the​ ​social, environmental​ ​and​ ​economic​ ​advantages​ ​of​ ​a​ ​sharing​ ​economy, the spokesman said.

​These​ ​are​ ​among​ ​the councils’​ ​objectives​ ​over​ ​the​ ​next​ ​three​ ​years​ ​as​ ​part​ ​of​ ​their​ ​Platforms​ ​for​ ​our​ ​Places strategy.

Councillor​ ​Emma​ ​Evans,​​ ​​Adur​ ​District​ ​Council’s​ ​Executive​ ​Member​ ​for​​ ​​Environment,​ ​said: “I’m​ ​delighted​ ​the​ ​councils​ ​are​ ​leading​ ​the​ ​way​ ​with​ ​this​ ​innovative​ ​service​ ​and​ ​are​ ​helping to​ ​develop​ ​it​ ​by​ ​trialling​ ​keyless​ ​technology.

“The​ ​scheme​ ​is​ ​about​ ​connecting​ ​staff,​ ​building​ ​new​ ​relationships,​ ​using​ ​cars​ ​that​ ​would otherwise​ ​be​ ​sitting​ ​idle​ ​and​ ​enabling​ ​a​ ​different​ ​way​ ​to​ ​use​ ​funds.​

“​It​ ​may​ ​ultimately​ ​lead​ ​to fewer​ ​cars​ ​on​ ​the​ ​road​ ​as​ ​people​ ​share​ ​more,​ ​and​ ​therefore​ ​a​ ​reduction​ ​in​ ​carbon emissions.”

The​ ​service​ ​is​ ​free​ ​to​ ​sign​ ​up​ ​for,​ ​with​ ​HiyaCar​ ​receiving​ ​a​ ​small​ ​percentage​ ​of​ ​the​ ​rental cost.​ ​

Users​ ​simply​ ​choose​ ​the​ ​car​ ​they​ ​want​ ​to​ ​hire,​ ​book​ ​online​ ​and​ ​collect​ ​it​ ​from​ ​a pre-arranged​ ​place.

Drivers​ ​and​ ​cars​ ​are​ ​vetted​ ​by​ ​HiyaCar,​ ​which​ ​also​ ​provides​ ​separate​ ​insurance​ ​and breakdown​ ​cover​ ​for​ ​the​ ​rented​ ​vehicles.

The​ ​new​ ​keyless​ ​technology​ ​being​ ​piloted​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Councils​ ​works​ ​through​ ​a​ ​downloadable phone​ ​app​ ​which​ ​connects​ ​to​ ​a​ ​special​ ​device​ ​in​ ​the​ ​car​ ​that​ ​unlocks​​ ​​the​ ​car​ ​at​ ​the​ ​press​ ​of a​ ​button.​ ​

There is ​also​ ​a​ ​tracking​ ​system​ ​for​ ​extra​ ​security​ ​and​ ​peace​ ​of​ ​mind.

The​ ​HiyaCar​ ​service​ ​is​ ​already​ ​widely​ ​available​ ​to​ ​private​ ​individuals​ ​across​ ​the​ ​country.​

​If its​ ​take​ ​up​ ​at​ ​the​ councils​ ​grows,​ ​the​ ​cars​ ​of​ ​employees​ ​could,​ ​with​ ​their​ ​agreement,​ ​be offered​ ​to​ ​the​ ​wider​ ​community​ ​for​ ​hire.

Phil​ ​Makinson,​ ​HiyaCar’s​ ​Chief​ ​Commercial Officer​,​ ​said:​ ​“​Adur​ ​and ​Worthing​ ​Councils​ ​are setting​ ​an​ ​example​ ​for​ ​other​ ​organisations around​ ​the​ ​country​ ​that​ ​could​ ​significantly benefit​ ​from​ ​changing​ ​their​ ​current​ ​way​ ​of providing​ ​cars​ ​for​ ​business​ ​use​ ​by​ ​supporting peer-to-peer​ ​car​ ​sharing.

“We​ ​have​ ​three​ ​cars​ ​set​ ​up​​ ​​with​ ​QuickStart technology​ ​at​ ​present​ ​and​ ​this​ ​is​ ​just​ ​the beginning​ ​of​ ​better​ ​car​ ​usage​ ​for​ ​the councils​ ​and​ ​local​ ​community.”