A car-sharing service aimed at travelers has come to Los Angeles.
With TravelCar, which originated in France in 2012 and has since expanded to 30 countries, users get free parking at LAX, in exchange for letting out-of-towners rent their cars while they're away.
The vehicle's owner is paid for every mile driven, and parking is still free even if nobody rents the car (and yes, it's insured against theft and damage). The company says its rates are up to 70% lower than those of conventional car rental companies such as Hertz and Avis.
So basically, the service is like Airbnb, only instead of letting a stranger stay in your home, you let a stranger drive your car around.
If that idea makes you nervous, you can still sign up with TravelCar to get discounted airport parking.
After L.A., the company plans to move into San Francisco and eight more U.S. destinations by the end of the year.
