Developing a free car sharing service for Hertz

The background

Hertz faced an increasing issue with high costs for bringing rented vehicles back to the station from where they were rented in one-way rental cases where the destination was another city. Either they needed to send the vehicle via costly third-party transfer solutions or engage Hertz staff to drive it back, which also was a time-consuming and cost-consuming option.

Their new service, Freerider, where people are offered the chance to rent a car for free if they bring it back to the original Hertz station, was first launched in 2005. However, after many years, the solution needed to be modernised and prepared for future technical platforms and updated with a more intuitive and inclusive interface to reach new customers with limited financial resources, such as students and pensioners – and AFRY was chosen as Hertz supplier.

What we did

A team that spanned across multiple design and development expertise supported Hertz on a scalable solution that ensured the easy adding of future features over time. Through qualitative research of different target groups, including Hertz administrative users, AFRY could design and develop a new user interface for the web service portal, now with an improved mobile app UI design, where easy and intuitive use was secured. AFRY has also developed a design system for Hertz, where accessibility and WCAG compliance are secured, including the Freerider solution. The new Freerider was launched in 2024.

The benefits

The Freerider solution offers a variety of benefits to Hertz, individuals, communities, and the environment. Here are some of the main advantages:

• Cost savings and an increased customer base for Hertz – Avoiding the cars being transported back on trailers or driven back by their staff saves both costs and time. The service also opens up to new and more customers, increases satisfaction and brand loyalty, and makes big cost savings.
  
• Benefits for the users – The solution improves the intuitive use and booking flow efficiency, from the selection of vehicles to a better overview of insurance and guidance for start and delivery. The users now also have greater freedom to choose a destination that suits them better for journey planning, and they have no rental or fuel costs to think about. The solution is highly inclusive, allowing users with limited financial resources to travel longer distances.
  
• Environmental benefits – Car-sharing solutions, like Freerider, encourage less car ownership, leading to fewer vehicles on the road, less congestion, and lower emissions. Choosing a rental car also reduces the carbon footprint since the fleet for rentals is often newer and more fuel-efficient.
  
• Social benefits – Freerider is an inclusive solution that allows long-distance mobility for users with limited income. Less demand for personal cars also means that cities can allocate less space to parking lots, opening up urban spaces for parks, housing, or other communal uses.

Overall, Freerider is a true win-win solution that contributes to a more sustainable, affordable, and efficient transportation ecosystem - and paves the way for future mobility!