Car Rental Services During Phase 2 of Safe-Reopening

This article is an update on current car-industry news (16 July 2020), in continuation from our previous article on “An update: How has COVID-19 Affected Car Rental Services?”. 

The long awaited Phase 2 of the Safe-Reopening Strategy in Singapore is finally here! Many people are itching to get out of their house, with much pent up energy, and eagerness to return to their normal routine. Slowly and surely, we will soon see our roads filled with cars again, and the Central Business Districts gradually gaining back its revitalized hustle and bustle after 2.5 months of serenity.

The Multi-Ministry Task Force announced on 19 May 2020, that Circuit Breaker (CB) Measures will be gradually eased in a phased manner from 2 June 2020 onwards, in efforts to allow businesses to resume its normal operations in a safe manner.

Life seems to be getting back to normal, with more commuters going to work/school, food and beverage companies (F&B) starting to get back a steady stream of customers and for the hospitality business to be ramping up its operations for higher traffic flow. As such, the car rental companies and services are of no exception.

As more and more employees are required to head back to their worksite, one thing that would be dearly missed during the CB period would be the reduced need to commute. From the commuter’s perspective, travelling time could be cut down drastically for those who are telecommuting. Hence time, money and fuel was saved during those periods.

With the phased return back to our school/jobs and the allowing of small groups of social gatherings to take place, demand for commuting vehicles is slowly yet surely start to pick up.

One reason for a constant interest in dedicated vehicles and private cars compared to public modes (like busses and trains) would be that the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 infection is significantly lower with the use of private transport. As the government has reiterated, although the safe distancing measures have been relaxed, the rationale behind it would be to revitalize the economy and to save employment and the livelihoods of many.

The virus is still circulating out there, and Singapore is not out of the woods… yet.

Till date, there seems to be still this pressing concern for commuters travelling via public transport that they might get into close contact with asymptomatic patients of the coronavirus and thus, this remains as a concern for some telecommuters. Although efforts have been made to step up cleaning services in public transport and an antimicrobial coating is sprayed on high touch surfaces, authorities admit that safe distancing measures, especially during the peak periods, is almost impossible. Thus, commuters are mandated to wear a mask properly and avoid speaking on the phones during their commute to reduce the risk of a possible second wave. To watch about how public transports have amped up cleaning services, watch the programme ‘Talking Point’ here.

Even though we are facing one of the most challenging pandemics of our lifetime, life cannot come to a pause.

Jobs still need to be carried out; families still need to be fed.

To ease your transportation needs, looking for car rental services in Singapore could be one alternative in attaining your transportation needs. Short-term car rentals allow for flexibility in rental timings and the comfort of having a dedicated car to satisfy your rental needs. It is one of the safest ways of commuting, as the transmission of the virus is respiratory. The greatest risk would then be present only if you are travelling with a passenger that has been infected. Thus, experts claim that rental cars pose considerably less risk as you and your passengers are the only ones you will be in contact with, at least throughout the span of the commuting journey.

Another reason for contemplating to support car rental services would be the value of efficiency. Even though the CB period has helped slow down the pace for some individuals, it is no doubt that we do live in a fast-paced, cosmopolitan city and efficiency is highly valued. When weighing the pros and cons of renting a car in Singapore, one has to do a cost-benefit analysis to justify our decision of taking up car rentals. One argument that cannot be argued against would be that having your own private car (at least during the rental period) would definitely be more time efficient as compared to any other mode of transport.

On top of the slew of safe distancing measures that are mandated for car rental companies, you can take the extra precaution by wiping down high touch areas of the car (steering wheel, handles, buttons and armrest).

BizLink Rent-A-Car wishes you a safe and pleasant journey ahead.

Should you wish to speak to the support team for any other queries, please also do not hesitate to reach out to us via the above contacts.