Good practices between individuals during an RV exchange

SwapTheRoad is a community website dedicated to the exchange of recreational vehicles between individuals. It connects travel enthusiasts, all owners of a motorhome, a campervan or another type of RV, to allow them to travel all over the world, more often and at a lower cost. Here is a short list of good practices to follow between members during an RV exchange with SwapTheRoad !

Politeness and respect

The SwapTheRoad platform makes it a point of honor that its members respect each other, exchange with kindness and in a collaborative spirit. In the event of written or telephone exchanges with another member of the community, and during a possible meeting during a vehicle exchange, politeness, courtesy and friendliness are essential. Thanking each other after an exchange, for example, is the key to closing a unique and authentic experience !

RV Insurance

The RV owner’s insurance must accept that a foreign third party drives their vehicle. This is one of the main conditions for the vehicle to be offered for exchange on the platform, which ensures the borrower to benefit from guarantees in the event of an incident. The insurance must be able to take into account and cover the same risks as for the owner in the event of an exchange. The borrower can thus go on a trip with peace of mind and in complete serenity. Note that the platform also offers to take out additional insurance for optimal coverage.

Recreational vehicle care

When giving you the RV’ keys in person, the owner should normally show you around the vehicle to brief you on its use and that of its equipment. Generally, a minimum of one hour should be spent on it to allow you to familiarize yourself with the RV and drive it. It is recommended to be very careful during this step to avoid any misunderstanding and risk of damage to the RV later. Indeed, you must absolutely use the vehicle as if it were your own and treat it with the greatest care! Each borrower must return the borrowed vehicle in the same condition in which it was received and with the same quantity of fuel. It is advisable for the lender to systematically fully refuel to avoid any dispute during the restitution. No misunderstandings in this case, the borrower knows then that he will have to return the vehicle with a full tank.

Everyone must absolutely undertake to report any malfunction and any incident occurring during the exchange. If you have accidentally broken dishes, a mirror, a cupboard door or any other equipment, it is normal to inform the owner when they recover their vehicle. The platform provides entry and exit inventory documents to keep track of the condition of each vehicle before and after an exchange.

In addition, in the event of an at-fault accident during your trip, the charter indicates that the lender must agree to pay the repairs if the amount is less than that of the owner’s deductible. If it is higher, the borrower must pay the RV owner the full amount of the deductible.

Communication

The charter that each member of the community undertakes to respect by joining the SwapTheRoad adventure, encourages users to communicate regularly during a vehicle exchange, whether before, during and, if necessary, after the exchange.

For a operfect RV exchange, the best thing is to take the time to get to know each other, to discuss, to explain the motivations for your exchange (why such a destination, why this type of vehicle in particular, etc.), to present a little the members of your family or the people who will accompany you during the roadtrip… This step of discovering the story and personality of another member is essential to start a relationship based on trust. To facilitate exchanges, SwapTheRoad has set up an internal messaging system. It remains available to users so that everyone can stay in touch at any time during an exchange.

Moreover, communication is also taking the time to listen to the other. Each borrower must listen to and follow the instructions and recommendations given by the lender. Whether it is a limit on the number of kilometers or miles to be traveled with the RV, indications concerning the border crossing between two countries, the authorization or not of smoking in the motorhome or that of the presence of pets during the trip… You have to respect the wishes of the owner.

Note that in addition to being able to communicate with other members, each user has the possibility of contacting SwapTheRoad in the event of a problem during a motorhome exchange, or even questions about the operation of one of the services of the platform. You can start a discussion on WHATSAPP, request your information by e-mail, or consult the support center of the website which gathers all the answers to the questions most frequently asked by the community.

Sharing

Sharing is undoubtedly the most important pillar for the SwapTheRoad community : sharing values, sharing resources, sharing sound advice, experiences, good addresses… As a lender, you undertake to communicate as much information as possible information to the borrower so that they can organize their trip in an optimal way : places to visit, road conditions, spots to make bivouacs… Thus, you contribute to the smooth running of their trip and to make their travel the most authentic of experiences !

Sharing between members of the community is also and above all a human exchange. It is welcoming and maintaining a relationship of trust with the borrower, through small marks of attention that you would have liked to receive in the opposite situation. This means, for example, picking up the borrower (as well as their travel colleagues) at the airport and driving them back at the end of the exchange. It also means leaving all the equipment included in your recreational vehicle available to them to ensure the comfort necessary for their stay (cutlery, sheets, pillows, blankets, etc.).

The VR exchange is a real opportunity to discover new cultures and offer you new perspectives on the world, to open your mind and expand your knowledge by sharing your anecdotes and experiences. Traveling around the world through motorhome swapping is a rewarding adventure for all SwapTheRoad users whose feedback is always very positive. 

And if you embarked on the adventure ?