The Silicon Review ^Asia

Lyft, the ride-sharing service announced its plan to enter into a partnership with the car rental behemoth Avis. This move is seen as an implementation of Lyft’s vision to inhibit car ownership in the United States. Avis offers thousands and thousands of cars for rent all across the world. This is a part of a multi-year deal under Lyft’s Express Drive Program, which allows drivers to rent cars.

Before the conception of this program, interested drivers had to register with the ride-sharing services company using their own cars. It effectively allowed car owners to transform their cars into a reliable source of income. But, under the Express Drive program, budding drivers can rent cars instead of purchasing one. Additional benefits of renting a car include a significant reduction of maintenance costs for the drivers. A recent study concluded that drivers who opt for this program will be able to save $4500 a year on maintenance and insurance costs. Lyft also committed $100 million to help its drivers with maintenance. In addition to Avis, other car rental partners include Hertz and Flexdrive.

Lyft’s partnerships with rental companies are a move to increase the number of drivers, which is currently about 1.4 million. After implementation, the company hopes to provide more drivers with a steady source of income and even bring down the costs of each ride for customers. Drivers who rent cars can earn numerous rewards and incentives based on how many rides they offer.