Drive mate enables GPS on cars, opens new hub near Sydney Airport

Drive mate has announced the launch of a new car-share hub located near Sydney Airport's Domestic terminals, offering a novel solution for travellers.

Located at 40 Baxters Road in Mascot, the hub is just a 10-minute walk from the airport and accommodates up to 40 vehicles. The company has partnered with local car-share hosts, ensuring a continuous supply of vehicles should the hub's capacity be exceeded.

The service allows Drive mate members, who number in excess of 70,000, to book a vehicle via the Drive mate app even while flying to Sydney. The hiring process is streamlined, removing the need to queue for keys or complete on-site agreements, and aims to significantly cut the traditionally cumbersome wait times associated with car hire check-in desks. Vehicle hire is available from AUD $40 per day, with petrol and insurance costs included, and any fuel purchases are reimbursed.

Dirk-Jan ter Horst, Co-Founder of Drive mate, said, "This truly is a game changer for travellers. The vehicle options alone are enticing upon launch – everything from a Toyota Corolla to an Audi Q3, and with more to come as hosts onboard vehicles, guests will have many options to best fit their budget."

He continued, "But more importantly, it's the convenience of being able to book a vehicle in advance and not having to wait in a queue to pick it up, sign forms, and other time-consuming methods just to hire a vehicle are null and void when using Drive mate's airport hub. For families, one parent could wait for the bags at the carousel while the other goes and picks up the car, returning even before the bag has arrived."

The service enables flexible hiring durations, including hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly rentals, making it an appealing option for those visiting Sydney. The assurance of obtaining the reserved vehicle, a common issue with traditional car rentals, is guaranteed by Drive mate.

Gaurav Singhal, Co-Founder of Drive mate, stated, "What you book is what you get, delivering an assurance to drivers they rarely get at airports. Now, drivers can access the vehicle through the application, open the door, and drive away the vehicle they actually booked, and much more affordably than ever."

The company has further implemented GPS in all vehicles and automated kilometre tracking to simplify the billing process for hosts. Singhal added, "We've enabled GPS in all vehicles and automated kilometre tracking, to take the heavy lifting off hosts when it comes to the billing process. For guests, this also reduces their burden when it comes to refuelling the vehicles, as that is all done by the host or they're quickly reimbursed for petrol when needed for long trips."

Sign-up for the service can be completed in under five minutes through the Drive mate app. The car-share hub is part of Drive mate's broader network, with hundreds of vehicles available across Sydney and Australia-wide.