The complementarity between SwapTheRoad and RV rental platforms

For vanlifers, traveling by recreational vehicle represents can be expensive. Whether it’s a new or used acquisition, maintenance, fuel, vehicle insurance… RV owners are most often looking to get the most out of their investment. Discover in our article how SwapTheRoad is complementary to those of rental between individuals.

RV rental platforms

The Offer

The offer of RV rental platforms between individuals is simple. Do you own a motorhome, a van, a combi, a camper van or any other recreational vehicle ? These platforms allow you to create an account and offer the rental of your vehicle to other individuals. Then, you enter a daily rate, depending on your location, the model of your RV, its equipment, etc.

Why are owners turning to renting their RV ?

These platforms are very practical and very interesting for vanlifers who can thus make their vehicle profitable. Sometimes, you do not use your RV. Why leave it in your garage where it cannot bring you any money ? Some platforms like Yescapa, indicate that you can earn up to 8,150 euros on average per year thanks to the rental of your vehicle. There is also Outdoorsy (an American motorhome rental platform) which would allow you to earn up to $50,000 per year. If you have taken out a loan to purchase your motorhome, renting can initially allow you to pay the monthly installments of this loan, then, once repaid, contribute to maintenance costs, the monthly payment of the assurance…

SwapTheRoad

The offer

SwapTheRoad is a community web platform that offers the exchange of recreational vehicles between individuals. Its mission ? Allow RV owners to travel all over the world more often and at a lower cost thanks to the motorhome exchange.

As a member of the community, you have the choice between two types of swap :

• The Reciprocal RV exchange : you borrow another owner’s vehicle and they borrow yours in return. The reciprocal exchange can take place simultaneously (i.e. over the same period) or deferred (over different periods).

• The non-reciprocal exchange : you borrow the vehicle of another individual but they does not wish to borrow yours. Or vice versa. Vehicle borrowing is then possible in exchange for RoadPoints. It is a digital currency introduced by SwapTheRoad that allows vanlifers to travel even more often and wherever they want. Note that when registering on the platform, the same number of RoadPoints is offered to members when they fully complete their profile and register their vehicle.

Concretely, a vehicle exchange can happen this way : you live in the United States and wish to travel by RV in Europe. Unfortunately, shipping, renting or buying an RV on site are too long and expensive solutions for you. By choosing the RV exchange with SwapTheRoad, you have the possibility of borrowing the vehicle of another individual for your roadtrip. Thanks to the various search filters, you can refine your criteria according to your desires, your needs (number of places, beds, destination, etc.). Thus, you can find the ideal recreational vehicle for an authentic holiday !

Let’s say you want to travel to Spain, and a member of the Spanish community wants to travel to the United States. You can then mutually exchange your RVs ! It is a reciprocal exchange.

If you ever wish to borrow the vehicle of another individual but the latter does not wish to borrow yours in exchange (because they have already visited your country, or, for example, have reserved for another destination). We speak of non-reciprocal exchange. You will then transfer the number of RoadPoints per day of borrowing desired, depending on the RP/day requested by the lender. Conversely, if a member wants to borrow your RV but you do not want to borrow theirs in return, this member will have to credit you with RoadPoints according to the RP/day that you have previously set.

Why choose SwapTheRoad when you own an RV ?

1. To join a community with strong values

The platform offers recreational vehicle exchange services created BY, WITH and FOR RV owners. Here are the fundamental pillars of RV swapping with SwapTheRoad :

• Communication : Before, during, and after an exchange, communicate confidently with the lender or borrower. You can also contact the SwapTheRoad owners on WHATSAPP and by email if you have any question or any problem before, during or after an RV swap.

• Respect : the members of the community have to respect a charter bearing the values of the platform. For trust to be mutual, honesty, respect and transparency are required.

• Sharing : SwapTheRoad offers its members the opportunity to experience unique trips : the pleasure of talking, sharing good advice, pass on the traditions and habits of the locals… The benevolence of the community enriches your trips for an authentic experience.

2. To travel serenely while benefiting from guarantees

For exchanges in complete confidence, each member has the possibility of being certified. For this annual certification request, the platform verifies the identity of the member and the vehicle(s) offered for exchange.

In addition, beyond the commitments stipulated in the charter, SwapTheRoad wants the members of its community to travel with peace of mind. The collaborative platform therefore offers different subscriptions for different guarantees :

• Lender Serenity guarantees

As part of the Premium subscription, SwapTheRoad manages the deposit and a deductible for the owner.

• Borrower Serenity option

Throughout the duration of the exchange, each lender must absolutely take out insurance and undertake to ensure that the corresponding guarantees are maintained for the borrower. For even more serenity in exchanges, the platform offers additional RentalCover insurance. SwapTheRoad has chosen to collaborate with RentalCover, known and recognized by the largest travel agency networks, in order to offer its members the best insurance policies at competitive prices.

SwapTheRoad is really complementary to rental platforms between individuals in the sense that it allows RV owners to make their vehicle profitable with travel capital : lend, borrow, travel around the world at a lower cost, without restriction of destination or dates in benefiting from a sharing of experiences and advice from real travel enthusiastsThe