On New Year’s Day, two tragic incidents occurred involving vehicles rented on Turo, a peer-to-peer car sharing company. In New Orleans, a suspected act of terrorism took place as Army veteran Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd, resulting in the death of 14 people. Jabbar was subsequently shot and killed by police. In Las Vegas, a Tesla Cybertruck rented through Turo exploded near President-elect Donald Trump’s hotel, claiming the life of active-duty U.S. Army Green Beret Matthew Livelsberger. Turo expressed shock and sorrow over the events, condemning the misuse of their platform by the individuals involved.
While both incidents were linked to vehicles rented through Turo, the FBI has not established a definitive connection between the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas explosion. Despite this, scrutiny has been placed on the car-sharing service. Here’s an overview of Turo:
Turo is an online platform that facilitates peer-to-peer car-sharing, allowing car owners (“hosts”) to rent out their vehicles to nearby drivers (“guests”) who book through the Turo website or app. Hosts set prices, availability, and delivery options for renters to choose from. The company operates across the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and France, boasting a network of hosts. Originally known as “RelayRides,” Turo was rebranded in 2015 and has amassed a wealth of data over its 12-year history, including over 90 million booked days, 27 million trips, and 8.6 billion miles driven.
Regarding the New Year’s Day incidents, both vehicles involved were rented via Turo, although no conclusive links between the two events have been established. The Cybertruck in the Las Vegas explosion was rented through Turo in Colorado, while the pickup truck used in the New Orleans attack was also rented through the platform. Turo has cooperated with law enforcement and emphasized that the individuals involved did not have prior criminal records that would have raised security concerns. The company screens renters through a multi-layer, data-driven process.
The trust and safety process.” The individuals involved in the incidents possessed valid driver’s licenses, clean background checks, and were honorably discharged from the U.S. military, as highlighted by Turo on Thursday. “They had the ability to board any aircraft, check-in to a hotel, or hire a car or truck from a traditional vehicle rental establishment,” the company stated. “We are of the opinion that these two individuals would not have raised any red flags with anyone, including Big Rental or law enforcement.”
