Uber promises its drivers the freedom to work whenever they want and have more control over their earnings.
However, for people looking to get started, but who don’t have a car, this might seem out of reach. Read this article to find out whether you can Uber with a rental car!
Can You Uber With a Rental Car in [currentyear]?
You can Uber with a rental car, but only if you get it from one of the approved partners in [currentyear]. Uber has partnered with rental companies like Hertz and Avis to provide rentals for its drivers. You can rent a car for Uber from one of its approved partners and pay on different plans, ranging from hourly to weekly.
Continue reading to learn everything you should know about renting for Uber, including how to do it, other rental options on the platform, and more!
Does Uber Give You a Car to Use?
Unfortunately, Uber doesn’t give you a car to use, so you’ll have to find a way to get one.
One of the ways you can get a car for Uber is by renting it from one of the following approved companies:
- Hertz
- Avis
- Zipcar
- Getaround
- Kinto Share
You can’t use a rental for Uber unless it came from one of these companies. If you do so, you risk your account being deactivated.
Uber launched its vehicle marketplace to allow drivers to find qualifying vehicles that they could use for rides and deliveries.
However, if you use this option, you open yourself up to requirements that aren’t there for drivers using their own cars.
For example, while Uber itself doesn’t hold you to a quota, Avis might ask you to return the vehicle if your ridesharing activity is lower than expected.
Can You Drive for Uber If You Don’t Own the Car?
You can drive for Uber if you don’t own the car, as long as you’re listed as covered on the vehicle’s insurance papers.
This means that you don’t always need to rent a car for Uber if you don’t have one.
Rather, you can use one owned by a friend, family member, or anyone else, as long as the insurance has you listed as one of the insured drivers.
Can I Rent a Tesla for Uber?
You can rent a Tesla for Uber as long as you do it through one of the company’s approved rental agencies like Hertz and Avis.
In fact, Hertz and Uber entered into a partnership to provide Teslas for rent at $334 a week, but the rate is expected to lower with time.
This move was to promote Uber Green, a ride type that only uses electric vehicles, and the drivers receive incentives for providing these rides.
Does Uber Help You Finance a Car?
Unfortunately, Uber doesn’t help you finance a car anymore.
There was a financing service called the Uber Vehicle Solution Program that was shut down a few years ago, following an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
According to the FTC, Uber’s loan and financing program relied on predatory lending practices, including:
- Exaggerating how much drivers could make from ridesharing
- Charging drivers higher than normal monthly payments
- Misleading people interested in being drivers regarding the terms of the program
As part of the penalties following the investigation, Uber had to pay a $20 million settlement that went out to affected drivers.
What Is Meant by Uber Rental?
Uber Rental is a ride option that lets you get a driver by the hour with the ability to add multiple stops.
You can have up to 5 stops at a time and you can also add and remove them whenever you want as the trip goes on.
This ride type is different from the standard ones in that you’re more responsible for the costs of the trip beyond the fares.
For example, if you need the driver to wait for you somewhere, you might have to pay for parking.
What Does Rent Mean in Uber?
Uber Rent is a service that allows users to rent vehicles through the Uber platform that they can drive themselves.
It differs from the car rental system we’ve discussed so far in this article in that it’s intended for regular customers.
It’s similar to traditional car rental services but it’s done via the app, connecting users to the actual rental companies like Hertz.
When someone rents a car through this method, they’re only allowed to have it for personal use, i.e you can’t go through this service to rent a car for Uber.
What Is the Difference Between Uber Rent and Uber Rental?
Uber Rent is different from Uber Rental primarily in who gets to drive the vehicle.
Uber Rent lets customers rent vehicles to drive themselves, whereas Rental is essentially a long regular Uber trip with many stops; there’s a rider and a driver.
They’re similar in that neither program is intended to help Uber drivers get cars they can use for ridesharing.
To learn more, you can also read our posts on what are Uber Lux cars, is Uber legal, and can Uber be booked in advance.
Conclusion
You can Uber with a rental car as long as it’s from one of the approved companies, including Hertz, Avis, Kinto Share, Getaround, and Zipcar. If you rent a car from any other company, you risk your account getting shut down.
You don’t have to own the car you Uber with but you’ll need to be listed as one of the covered drivers under its insurance papers.
