P2P carsharing companies allow customers to reserve, pick up, and return a motor vehicle (most commonly owned by an individual) through a company-provided app for a fee. While P2P carsharing continues to grow across the United States, information on the nature of this activity at airports and how it affects revenue, operations, safety, and facilities is limited. Research was needed to better understand the P2P carsharing market and to develop a playbook to help practitioners accommodate this emerging activity at their airports.
The research team, led by InterVISTAS Consulting, began with a literature review of P2P carsharing and related services. The team then conducted a web-enabled survey of the 100 largest U.S. airports to identify those that had entered into or were negotiating agreements with P2P carsharing companies. Of those airports, the survey asked them to provide key information about fees, vehicle transfer locations, volume of activity, and other relevant data. Several airports, of various sizes, geographies, and agreement types, agreed to also serve as case studies, providing more detailed information.
The guide begins with an introduction to P2P carsharing and a quick start guide. These are followed by more detailed information on P2P’s quickly evolving trends, including general profiles of P2P carsharing customers and vehicle owners, the regulatory landscape, recent litigation, and general airport practice relative to P2P activity. The guide then offers recommended practices and suggested business terms to help airport practitioners accommodate P2P activity at their facilities reflecting the impacts to terminal curbside roadways and other facilities, considerations for stakeholders, security, vehicle handoff locations, and P2P facility needs. The guide also provides detailed considerations and suggestions for developing P2P agreements.