Kyte: How The Rental Car Delivery Service Works

The rental automotive business has seen no scarcity of disruption. Rental automotive options like Getaround and Turo function like Airbnb for vehicles, providing vehicles in additional areas than the airports or tourist-heavy neighborhoods during which conventional rental automotive corporations sometimes function.

However Kyte is disrupting the business in a very completely different means: by offering supply and pickup for all of its personal rental autos.

Whenever you lease by Kyte, a Kyte worker delivers your automotive to you and picks it up once you’re accomplished. That’s particularly handy for individuals who don’t need the effort of going to a rental automotive workplace and ready in line.

In contrast to Getaround or Turo, you’re not renting one other particular person’s automotive. Kyte gives SUVs, sedans and all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles. For the reason that firm retains vehicles for 18 to 24 months, leases are comparatively new — a distinction to peer-to-peer leases that may usually arrive worse for put on.

For now, Kyte availability is fairly restricted. It operates in simply over a dozen cities across the U.S., together with Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco. And even inside these cities, there are restricted service areas, so that you won’t be capable to get a automotive delivered to each deal with.

However if you happen to’re in a location the place Kyte operates, you’ll be capable to lease an almost-new automotive — whereas skipping lengthy strains on the rental automotive counter. Right here’s what it’s like renting by Kyte:

You first have to create an account on the Kyte.com or cell app. From there, you possibly can search primarily based on supply location and time.

One-way leases are additionally attainable, assuming Kyte operates in each your beginning location and vacation spot (although Kyte annoyingly prices a one-way price that varies by location however can simply run many a whole bunch of {dollars} — and that’s on prime of the rental value).

The corporate additionally requires an account verification course of, which generally takes a number of hours to course of (so don’t anticipate to ebook a last-minute rental if it’s your first time utilizing Kyte). To confirm your account, Kyte seems to be at your driver’s license (you have to be a minimum of 21 years previous in most states) and your driving document (no main violations, equivalent to DUIs, up to now seven years). It’s essential to even have a legitimate debit or bank card, and no bankruptcies filed throughout the final three years.

The Kyte pickup course of is hardly a pickup in any respect. As a substitute, a Kyte driver — referred to as a “surfer” — delivers the automotive to your designated location inside a 30-minute window of your particular supply time.

The app’s dwell map function lets you observe the automotive’s supply in real-time — very like you’d verify the arrival of an Uber driver.

Kyte additionally sends SMS updates in regards to the driver’s progress (in addition to the make, mannequin, colour, and license plate of the automotive), so you realize what to search for.

As soon as the motive force arrives, you’ll present them your driver’s license and proof of insurance coverage, after which signal a rental settlement (Kyte’s system additionally acknowledges worldwide driver’s licenses, so vacationers from most international locations exterior the U.S. can lease too).

After exchanging data, the motive force arms off the keys and departs.

In some cities, Kyte provides you the choice to skip what’s in the end the corporate’s key differentiator, supply. If you choose self-pickup, you’ll go to a delegated storage or lot to satisfy a Kyte worker and undergo the identical key alternate course of.

Self-pickup has a number of advantages, together with a extra versatile, two-hour pickup and drop-off window. Plus, you get a small low cost on the general rental worth.

For instance, on this pattern rental automotive booked in San Francisco, Kyte’s self-pickup possibility at its downtown lot can prevent $20.

Very like different rental automotive corporations, Kyte has mileage limits (300 miles per day), upon which you’ll be charged $0.45 per mile additional if you happen to exceed that quantity — although Kyte does give the choice to buy limitless mileage upfront for a further $15 per day.

You’re additionally allowed to trip with pets. Nonetheless, the corporate prices a $100 cleansing price if you happen to return the automotive with what the corporate calls “extreme shedding or odors.”

Simply as you have to be prepared to choose up the automotive at a particular time, the return course of is comparable. A Kyte worker picks up the automotive on the time you acknowledged upon reserving inside a 15-minute buffer window on every finish. When the Kyte worker arrives, they’ll verify the automobile situation and also you’ll hand over the keys.

In contrast to many rental automotive options, Kyte doesn’t require that you just return the automotive with a full tank of fuel — which is handy if you happen to don’t need to spend time refueling. As with most conventional automotive rental corporations, Kyte will refuel it for you (and invoice you for the fees).

Kyte’s pricing relies on the kind of automotive, size of rental and placement. Costs differ, however the associated fee for a 12-hour rental tends to run about $100 — which is basically consistent with Turo and Getaround costs.

As a result of Kyte workers carry the automotive to you, it’s extremely beneficial that you just tip them.

Kyte leases require a brief deposit of $300 on a bank card (or $500 for debit playing cards) each time you lease, which might be launched as soon as your journey has ended.

Kyte renters have to be a minimum of 21 years previous in most states (the exception is New York, the place you have to be a minimum of 18 years previous).

All drivers below the age of 25 incur a “young-renter price,” which varies primarily based on the rental and can solely be displayed when you navigate to the value particulars part after deciding on “I’m below 25 years previous” on the reservations web page.

Kyte gives a number of insurance coverage choices at checkout, together with legal responsibility insurance coverage or injury safety. There’s additionally the choice to make use of your personal insurance coverage.

You are accountable for any injury to the automotive throughout your rental. Kyte’s injury safety plans embrace legal responsibility insurance coverage, which is required if you happen to don’t have already got it. For even better protection, you would possibly go for Kyte’s commonplace safety, which covers injury accomplished to the automotive previous a $500 deductible.

Kyte remains to be comparatively small, solely working in restricted areas in a handful of cities. Whereas it’s nice if you happen to want a clear, comfy four-seater, Kyte will fall brief in case you have a particular want equivalent to a minivan or automotive seat.

But when it operates in your space — and also you want an ordinary rental automotive — then it may be extremely handy as a result of Kyte’s main differentiator — and that’s supply.

Kyte’s supply service means you possibly can skip doubtlessly lengthy strains on the rental automotive counter. It additionally means you possibly can keep away from treks to the rental facility and airport shuttle rides.

If time is cash, the supply element alone could make Kyte a transparent winner.

Relative to the “Airbnb for vehicles” kind companies, Kyte additionally stands out.

With opponents like Turo and Getaround, vehicles are owned by common folks, so the automotive’s situation generally is a blended bag. When renting by these corporations, renters should depend on rankings and photographs to grasp the automotive’s situation. Getaround doesn’t allow you to learn evaluations, although Turo does.

As a result of Kyte vehicles are comparatively new, you possibly can wager your automotive will arrive clear and in wonderful situation.

One other key distinction is that you just’ll meet face-to-face with a Kyte worker. That may be a blessing or a curse, relying in your perspective.

On the intense facet, a human supply driver means renters can ask questions or simply dispute points. In the meantime, the technology-focused nature of companies like Getaround and Turo places you on the mercy of electronics. In case your telephone dies, you gained’t be capable to choose up your Turo or Getaround, and if there’s an issue with the automotive, you’ll should name customer support. Kyte clients with a useless telephone battery merely want to attend on the supposed assembly spot or work with the supply particular person to unravel any potential issues.

It is value noting that Kyte mirrors an enormous drawback with conventional rental automotive corporations — you’re nonetheless tied to regular working hours. You gained’t be capable to choose up a Kyte earlier than 7 a.m., which generally is a snag if you happen to’re able to bolt earlier than dawn.

The most important drawback with Kyte — which you gained’t actually discover in another rental service — is that there’s little or no flexibility with pickup and supply instances. The driving force arrives between quarter-hour earlier than and quarter-hour after your chosen time to choose up and drop off your automobile. When you’re not there, you’ll get hit with charges.

Kyte’s supply folks will wait solely 10 minutes so that you can present up on the time and place you mentioned you wished the automotive delivered earlier than they take into account you a no-show, which provides both a $10 late price or a $25 rescheduling price

It’s an analogous hangup on the return finish. When you can shorten your journey (and the corporate will refund these hours), the request have to be made a minimum of two hours earlier than the initially scheduled return.

For some renters, Kyte’s rigidity may be no drawback. However touring will be unpredictable, and altering plans final minute with Kyte will be annoying or downright unimaginable.

For what it’s value, Kyte’s self-pickup and return possibility solves the issues round actual pickup instances. However, it’s not supplied in each metropolis. Plus, that possibility additionally eliminates Kyte’s key profit, which is having the automotive dropped at your location.

Kyte won’t give you the results you want if:

You need to lease at odd hours: The good thing about companies like Getaround, the place you unlock the automotive through Bluetooth, is you could typically lease vehicles at any hour. With Kyte, you’re restricted to straightforward working hours. Kyte gained’t ship you a automotive earlier than 7 a.m., and the newest you possibly can have it picked up is 9:30 p.m. in most cities.

You may have young children: Kyte doesn’t at present provide automotive seats.

You want bigger or particular varieties of vehicles: Presently, you gained’t discover minivans, transport vans, or autos with assured seven seats in most markets.

You need to drive with snow chains: Kyte doesn’t provide snow chains, nor can they be used in your journey. That mentioned, all Kyte autos are geared up with all-season tires.

And for what it’s value, vacationers heading into the snow would possibly be capable to ebook a automotive with AWD, relying on the situation. Kyte operations in a handful of cities together with Boston, Denver, Seattle and San Francisco provide AWD as a automobile class possibility.

Kyte is nice if you happen to want a rental automotive however you’re not anyplace close to a brick-and-mortar rental automotive location. Because of the supply mannequin, you gained’t have to face in line at a rental automotive counter.

You would possibly use Kyte once you want a automotive for under a portion of your trip. An worker may carry the automotive to your lodge, permitting you to pay just for the hours you’re really utilizing it.

Assuming you’re superb choosing up and dropping off the automotive on the actual supposed time, Kyte is a seamless course of. Once I rented with Kyte, the motive force arrived two minutes after the initially booked time. However since I may observe his location through the app, I didn’t even have to face round exterior ready for him.

Returning the automotive was initially a bit tense due to avenue parking. Moreover, I wasn’t positive precisely what time I might really be ready to drop off the automotive, given the site visitors. However I arrived after I supposed and the Kyte worker was ready to choose the automotive up.

The entire course of was fast and simple — and the automotive high quality was far fancier than the beat-up vehicles I are inclined to obtain by peer-to-peer car-sharing web sites. I additionally appreciated that I didn’t should spend treasured rental time filling the automotive with fuel, as Kyte handles that half too.

For individuals who discover it inconvenient to go to a brick-and-mortar rental automotive pickup, however need a higher-quality rental than what you’d discover by different nontraditional rental automotive companies, Kyte gives the most effective of each worlds.