After launching in Malaysia at the end of last year, TREVO is officially available in Indonesia. TREVO is a peer-to-peer sharing platform that allows users to book a car according to their needs through the nearest host in the community. Currently they have around 500 hosts who have registered their cars on the platform.
The company also experienced a growth in the number of communities to 100 thousand people. Prior to launching in Jakarta, TREVO has been operating in Bandung and Bali.
Trevo’s General Manager, Brandon S. Curson revealed that the platform empowers hosts to earn money through their vehicles by matching fellow people in need for private rides. TREVO takes a commission to pay for advertising, customer support, and delivery of the host vehicle. It makes the process handled thoroughly.
“We offer users insurance options to grow trust in TREVO, enabling users to rent vehicles knowing they are safe from embezzlement, flooding, accidents and other types of damage.”
Through the platform, car owners or hosts have the option to determine car availability and prices, and generate additional sources of income. Meanwhile, car renters or guests are offered the opportunity to rent a car more easily and comfortably.
In order to accelerate business growth, TREVO and its parent company, SoCar, are currently exploring series B fundraising. The fresh fund is said to be closed in the middle of this month. SoCar’s latest funding round last year of $18 million was also used to build features to enhance TREVO’s offering.
“We are also working on several services such as a long-term insurance package to protect the host car when used for daily personal needs. Moreover, we have several other offers on the pipeline,” Brandon said.
In Indonesia, the car sharing concept offered by TREVO has been provided by several platforms, including Hipcar, Tripves and Sharecar. The decline in new car sales and the reduced demand for car rentals during the pandemic are opportunities for the P2P car sharing platform to grow.
Pandemic and business growth
During the pandemic, TREVO experienced positive growth. Based on internal market research shows, guests prioritize personal comfort because people are increasingly reluctant to share cars with other [unknown] people. Coupled with the fact that guests can rent a clean car with free sanitation equipment at an affordable price.
“For this reason, TREVO has been looking for ways to support the community. We currently offer TREVO services for only IDR 49,000 a day to anyone who needs to make a medical visit, whether it’s for vaccinations or to schedule an appointment with a doctor,” Brandon added.
They also support several medical institutions that offer rides to healthcare workers for free, ensuring they work safely.
Since officially launching in Indonesia, TREVO noted that the demographics of their guests are middle to upper class housewives, young professionals, and entrepreneurs. Guests have the flexibility to stop at several points, chat with friends and family without being awkward in the presence of the driver. This privacy option is claimed to be very important during a pandemic.
“Indonesia, as we all know, is home to a growing middle class with increasing purchasing power,” Brandon said.
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Original article is in Indonesian, translated by Kristin Siagian
