by Turo
posted on November 1, 2018
FrançaisEditor’s note: This blog post was last updated in December 2023 with the most up-to-date recommendations for new hosts on Turo.
You’ve accepted your first trip request, now what?
If you’re new to hosting on Turo, and a guest has just booked your car for the first time, congratulations! It’s important to offer your guests a 5-star experience starting with this very first trip and work toward becoming an All-Star Host, the highest-rated and most experienced hosts on Turo.
Let’s walk through hosting your first trip to help make sure everything goes smoothly.
Any time a guest books your car, sends you a message, or makes changes to their trip, you’ll be notified via the Turo app. Make sure you have push notifications turned on so you don’t miss anything. Follow these steps to help you know what to do and feel confident hosting your first trip.
1. Communicate with your guest
Send your guest a message to thank them and confirm the booking. Confirm the start time of the trip, let them know where to find the car, and if you’ll be meeting them in person or doing a remote handoff. If you’re meeting your guest at the airport, ask for their flight info and plan accordingly.
2. Get your car ready for the trip
Check that your vehicle is in good working order with no warning lights on (tire pressure, oil level, etc.). Make sure it’s clean inside and out, and with a full tank of gas, or fully charged. Vacuum the mats, wipe down the dashboard, and wash the outside so your vehicle looks its best for your guest.
3. Take good pre-trip photos
You need to document the condition of your car before and after each trip in order to be reimbursed under your protection plan. (Unless it’s a Turo Go trip.)
Take clear, well-lit photos of your vehicle from all angles, inside and out, capturing any pre-existing damage or wear. You can take pre-trip photos up to 24 hours before check-in, so it’s a good idea to take these photos before you meet your guest. The check-in feature in the Turo app will guide you through the process.
Upload at least 15 photos of the outside of your car and at least eight photos of the inside, including the dashboard levels. Taking and uploading more photos is a good idea to fully document the car’s condition before the trip. Remember, no photos, no reimbursement.
4. Be on time
If your guest is picking up your car from your home location or if you’re delivering your car to them, make sure your car is ready a few minutes before the trip’s start time. Let your guest know exactly where the car will be so there’s no confusion.
Some hosts like to meet their guests and hand over the keys in person, which can be a good opportunity to walk guests through any special features or answer any questions.
Other hosts offer remote check-in and checkout, which is a great way to save time and be more efficient with your business on Turo. Also, guests appreciate the convenience.
Note that even if you’ve already uploaded the pre-trip photos, your guest may choose to upload their own photos too.
5. Verify your guest’s driver’s license
You must confirm your guest’s identity in the Turo app and make sure their driver’s license is valid before the trip starts. Make sure their name matches the name on the booking, the photo looks like the guest, and the license hasn’t expired. Valid licenses from other states or countries are totally fine. Valid temporary licenses with a photo are OK as long as there are no restrictions like “daytime driving only.” Passports and other forms of photo ID are not acceptable in place of a driver’s license — Turo guests must be licensed to drive a motor vehicle and have a valid license with them.
Please remember, discrimination of any kind is not tolerated in the Turo community. Hosts aren’t allowed to decline or cancel bookings based on their guest’s perceived race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other protected characteristics described in our nondiscrimination policy.
If you have any concerns about your guest or think their driver’s license might not be valid, don’t hand over the keys. Contact Customer Support with any concerns or questions.
6. Be responsive during the trip
It’s important to respond to your guests in a timely fashion and communicate clearly. Encourage your guest to message you through the Turo app if they have any questions during their trip. Hosts and guests can also access each other’s phone numbers through the Turo app if you need to call each other.
7. Finish strong
Toward the end of the trip, the Turo app will remind your guest when they need to return the car, but it’s always a good idea to send them a message to confirm the place and time.
If you’re meeting your guest in person, be sure to arrive a few minutes early so they don’t have to wait around for you or stash the key somewhere that isn’t secure.
If you’re doing a remote checkout, make sure you’ve clearly communicated where they should park the car and what they need to do with the key.
After the trip, the Turo app will prompt you to take post-trip photos to document your car’s condition, inside and out, and check if there’s any new damage. Be sure to take these post-trip photos within 24 hours of the end of the trip. You’ll need to file a claim for any new damage within 24 hours for the claim to be eligible for reimbursement as part of your protection plan.
If your gas tank isn’t full or your guest went over their mileage limit, you can request reimbursements through the Turo app within 24 hours of the trip ending. If you need to report a cleaning or smoking violation, report and charge for them as “Issues” in the app within 24 hours too.
You can request reimbursements for tickets and tolls up to 90 days after the trip ends. Make sure you take and upload photos of anything that requires a reimbursement so your guest can see it and it can be verified by Turo Customer Support.
Lastly, be sure to rate and review your guest. The app will prompt your guest to write a review for you as well. Please be honest — you and your guest won’t see each other’s reviews until both are submitted. Reviews are an important part of how our community builds trust and are extremely helpful for your future guests.
Now you know what to do during every step of hosting your first trip on Turo! Wishing you all the best with your new business!
