Nikkei: Toyota to launch car-sharing service
26 July 2012
The Nikkei reports that Toyota Motor Corp. will launch a car-sharing service through affiliated auto-rental shops across Japan.
Toyota is already operating a pilot program at some locations. Plans call for a full launch under a new brand, starting with about 10 affiliated car-rental locations in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Aichi Prefecture and elsewhere, including the facilities participating in the pilot program. Toyota will gradually expand the service nationwide by urging car-rental affiliates to introduce it at their roughly 1,200 locations.
...Some have expressed concern that the growth of car sharing will eat away at sales of new autos. But Toyota expects customers will tap the service during business trips or for errands such as shopping, and thus believes its car sales will not take a significant hit. The automaker envisions customers treating the service as like having a second car.
Currently, noted the Nikkei report, an estimated 7,000 vehicles are available for car sharing in Japan, with Times24 Co. and Orix Auto Corp. controlling 80-90% of the market. The market is projected to grow sixfold from the 2010 figure to about ¥15 billion (US$190 million) in 2013, according to the Yano Research Institute.
As the 97% gets to be poorer and poorer, car sharing will become a valuable option for many of them as the only vehicle or as a second car for occasional use. Owning two or three large heavy gas guzzlers will be history soon.
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 July 2012 at 07:58 AM
I must say a very well compiled post on the important legal, financial and operational preparations that a car rental startup needs to take before it launches. Once start-ups do get finished with all these activities, there is another big challenge waiting for them and that is to get noticed, get the word out to gain visibility, and win clients and retain them.
Ask any successful business startup and they will tell you, the first stride towards success starts with creating a corporate identity – knowing your target audience very well and then composing a message that speaks uniquely to them. And the first creation of that attempt is almost always a professional logo.
Displaying your logo, company name, message (tagline) and contact information near a busy road, lawn signs, on your car window decals or door, business card and flyers will quickly introduce your business to targeted customers for a very small investment. Exhibiting the logo on all forms of signage will facilitate the community to remember the service you provide.
Having a good logo is essential, especially when using it on signs. Speaking of good logos,click here to view few eye catching car rental logo ideas I found during the research for writing a blog post for a client.
I am in no way endorsing or promoting the website but it is quite attractive because of the colors it has used in car business logos. Also, the company has categorized the car rental logos according to the genres of the business.
Posted by: Account Deleted | 31 October 2012 at 12:08 AM