Drivemate

Meet Mrs Thanyatorn (Gade) Thitiseranee, a graduate from UCLA in the US who with her husband and other partners has launched a tech startup, online company in Thailand called Drivemate. Some would call it car rental, but it has rapidly become the largest ‘peer to peer’ car sharing company in Thailand, founded in 2016.

As a mother of a 4 year old son who attends Brighton College in Bangkok, having been educated abroad and travelled internationally she, her husband and co-founders set about replicating the successful platform, that they had seen and used overseas, in Thailand. With many expat and international friends, met through her sons school, she listened to their comments regarding the many problems car ownership entails when you don’t speak the language and, as they had experienced the benefits of car sharing overseas. They thought ‘why not here’? Why not indeed.

As well as using all of the main rental companies for their pool of cars, sedans, trucks and limos. Drivemate searches for the best deals online for its user, in the area that you request a vehicle. It could be a day, a week, or long term and they deliver the car fully insured, cleaned and ready to go to your desired location.

The company operates a rating system on both renters and ‘partners’. A criminal record background check and all cars are fitted with GPS tracking security so each can be assured that the transaction will be operated smoothly. The cars are all insured by first class LMG Insurance, a notable international insurance company with over 50 branches across Thailand.

You might need a Mercedes limousine, a people carrier or a minivan with a uniformed driver for your trip. They can provide it, along with any variation that you might request with a 3 hour minimum rental. They now have over 9,000 cars in 45 provinces in Thailand readily available and you get the car that you have chosen, not a ‘similar’ make and model that the rental company has decided to offer you. With well over 100 models to choose from you can enjoy the driving experience and select exactly what you need to match your needs.

You might just be taking the family to the beach for a long weekend or picking up friends or family from the airport and need more seats to travel in comfort together whilst you have visitors from overseas. It is the ideal service for you to recommend to family, friends or business acquaintances visiting you here in Thailand. They may only be here for x days, weeks – so, they can choose exactly what they want for what period of time they need it.

Download the Drivemate application on AppStore and PlayStore. After you have gone online, entered your requirements and the area that you want the vehicle, document the car’s condition with the Drivemate app before your trip, and unlock the doors through your phone’s cellular or Bluetooth connection. Car sharing will challenge car ownership in some large urban markets, meeting consumer demand for instant and flexible transportation options, while also making cities more liveable by freeing them from idle cars and reducing congestion and pollution in the process. What they are suggesting is making greater use of the vehicles on the road today without adding to the number. Connected technology, frictionless user experience, and increased car fleet density are the keys to this evolution, as they make it more convenient to use a shared car than your own.

When you have finished with the car, go back online and inform the company where it is and they will arrange collection. Pretty simple if you ask me…
To join their car sharing community and drive a car through Drivemate, you must meet the following criteria:
Basic eligibility
• International drivers must be at least 25 years old hold an international or Thai driving license
• Have no major violations or alcohol/drug related incidents in the past three/seven years.
• Have no more than two violations or accidents combined in the past three years.
• Must have been licensed for at least two years.
• If you have a US driver’s license, you are required to pass an instant driver record check the first time you rent.
• Android users: Please send a photo of your driver’s license and passport, as well as a photo of yourself looking directly into the camera via our help centre. Our team will verify your submitted information as quickly as possible, usually in less than 24 hours.

Download the Drivemate app for access it via www.drivemate.asia

Contact Drivemate at: 02-026-3238 or 085-064-244 or [email protected]

See more at: www.drivemate.asia and www.facebook.com/drivemateasia