An intro to car shares in Los Angeles

Living in a big city makes owning a car optional, rather than necessary. And carshares in Los Angeles give you plenty of options for renting a car on an as-needed basis. These carshare companies in L.A. have locations all throughout the city.

You can find pick-up points in DTLA, near the airport, universities, business centers, entertainment districts, and more.

When you rent an apartment from Blueground, you’re walking distance to many carshare pick-up and drop-off locations.

The apartments come furnished and include a Guest App that not only supplies lots of local neighborhood advice but also offers you the option to request cleaning services or maintenance.

So, convenience is yours in many ways.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the best careshares in Los Angeles.

Zipcar

Zipcar has been in business since 2000 and offers Los Angeles residents several pick-up and drop-off points.

Some include Downtown, near the Union Station Metro stop, USC’s campus, LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and other major LA neighborhoods.

To apply, you must be 21 years old (18 if you’re a student) and have a valid driver’s license. First-time Zipcar users can apply for a 30-day free trial membership.

After that, pricing is $70/year for membership and rental rates start as low as $10/hr.

After you sign up for the trial membership, Zipcar takes one business day or longer to verify your driver’s license. Upon approval, you’ll receive a Zipcard in the mail within three to seven business days.

Once you’ve activated your Zipcard, you can book cars online or via the smartphone app.

When you pick out your car and you’re ready to drive it, simply tap your Zipcard on the windshield reader to unlock the doors. The keys will be inside the car.

Zipcar rules

• Carefully inspect your Zipcar and if there are damages, excess dirt, or a low gas tank, report it immediately
• Tidy up the car when you drop it off by taking your personal belongings and throwing out any trash
• Remember to leave the tank a quarter of the way full
• Smoking of any kind is not allowed. You’ll have to pay a fee if you break this rule
• If your pets are coming along, make sure they’re in a pet carrier at all times
• Return the car on time, otherwise, you’ll incur a $50 late fee

Carshare features

• You can drive for up to 180 miles each day (the cost is $0.45/mile after that)
• There is a complimentary gas card in each Zipcar
• Insurance comes included

BlueLA

Carshares in Los Angeles have expanded their options with the introduction of BlueLA. This carshare company provides 100% electric vehicles (EV) to LA residents, as part of the city’s mobility strategy.

If you have a valid driver’s license and are over the age of 18, BlueLA is available to you.

As a member, you’ll have 24/7 access to shared electric vehicles seven days a week.

The EV stations have a self-service kiosk and five parking spots on the street with their own electric charger.

Because BlueLA uses a point-to-point system, you don’t have to drop off the car in the same location you picked it up.

Neighborhoods served to include Westlake, Silverlake, Koreatown, Pico-Union, Downtown, Echo Park, Little Tokyo, and Chinatown.

Membership options

• Trial membership: $0.40/minute with a minimum charge of $6, or 15 minutes
• Standard membership: You’re billed $5/month for a total of $60 per year. When renting an EV, you’re charged $0.20/minute with a minimum charge of $3, or 15 minutes

Getaround

Getaround is a bit different than other carshares in Los Angeles. Members of the community offer up their own cars for rent.

And there are no monthly or annual fees.

Search thousands of cars using the Getaround app on your phone. You can schedule a rental car by the hour or by day.

Upon renting your first vehicle, the company must verify your driver’s license and your credit card.

This occurs instantly, so they won’t keep you waiting. All cars rented with Getaround include full insurance coverage and offer roadside assistance.

Carshare features

• Rent a car the day you need it and then extend the reservation right from your phone if needed
• Use the Getaround Connect™ key to unlock the car from your phone. The keys are inside, so hop on in and you’re ready to go
• Lots of useful filters on the app can help you find your ideal match right away
• All the information you need to pick up your car, including the owner contact details are available through the Getaround app
• If you have a newer iPhone model, you can use Apple Pay to pay for the cost of your rental

Maven

Introduced by General Motors in 2016, Maven is one of the carshares in Los Angeles that makes renting hassle-free.

Maven includes a line up of well-equipped cars, electric vehicles, SUVs, and trucks that you can rent, right from their app.  

There is no application fee or annual membership fee.

With no commitments, you can rent whenever you’d like. Make a reservation by the hour, or day for as little as $8/hour, plus tax.

When you are ready to ride out, use your phone to unlock and start the car.

Then when you’re ready to drop it off, park in the same location where you picked it up.

To complete your rental period, push the “End Trip” button in the app. It’s that easy.

Carshare features

• The cost of fuel and car insurance is included (minus a $1,000 deductible)
• Gas cards are inside each car in case you need to refuel during your trip
• Smart technology inside every car makes hands-free navigation, calling, and texting possible. Your music can also play from the car’s interface
• Cars are available for rent around the clock, 24/7 and 365 days a year