Lyft said it was winding down its in-house car-rental program in 2022, less than three years after launch. Its company update also discussed jobs affected by the broader change. I had thought Lyft Rentals was convenient and affordable when I saw it in San Francisco. I mistook a good customer experience for evidence of a good fleet business.
Owning or operating rental cars means cleaning, repairs, parking, insurance, and idle days. Those jobs do not disappear because reservations happen in an app. Partnering with rental companies moves that work to firms built for it, though Lyft then gives up control over the experience. This was a useful reminder that a transportation platform can sell access without being the best owner of every vehicle.