People wanting to share their car for some extra cash can now do so at Augusta Regional Airport.
Augusta Aviation Commission has approved an agreement with Turo, Inc., the internet-based car-sharing platform.
The commission also elected Dan Troutman as chairman and Ronic West as vice-chairwoman at a Friday called meeting.
Turo allows car owners to list their vehicles and customers to rent them. The peer-to-peer service collects a fee for the service and typically pays an airport fee when customers park or pick up cars there.
The company has been sued in other states by airports alleging it poses unfair competition to car-rental companies. Turo has agreements with many airports and operates at Hartsfield-Jackson International in Atlanta.
Herbert Judon, the executive director at Augusta Regional, said approving Turo provides “more options” for ground transportation, which sometimes runs out. The airport leases parking space to multiple car-rental companies.
Judon said he did not expect heavy use at first. Turo will have “no impact on rental cars,” he said.
Presenting the agenda item, interim airport Operations Manager Tyler Good said the Turo vehicles can use any available spaces and will look like any other vehicles. The company “likes to be as inconspicuous as possible,” he said.
Agenda addition: Board elects officers
Aviation Commissioner Charles Larke made a motion to add the election of a chair and vice-chair to the agenda Friday. The special called meeting was called for the purpose of a real estate discussion.
Larke nominated Troutman as chairman and West as vice-chairwoman. Troutman is president of the construction company Alternative Construction and Environmental Solutions. West is president and co-founder of the Greater Augusta Black Chamber of Commerce.
Aviation Commissioner Mason McKnight questioned the timing of the appointments, saying he “never got a phone call,” but said he supports the selections.
The commission also welcomed new member Bill Fennoy, the former Augusta commissioner, to represent District 1.
