Car Rentals During the Covid-19 Pandemic

We often think car rentals are something only foreigners need, an expensive luxury that us ordinary commuters can do without. After all, from jeeps, FX vans, and buses to the LRT and MRT, there are plenty of ways to get around in Manila without renting a car. However, social distancing and worries about Covid transmission in enclosed spaces means that this pandemic has changed our views on transportation. 

Guidelines encourage us to stay home, yet many of us still need to go outside, either for work or other errands. In leaving our house and travelling, we must remember that our safety is paramount. After all, we need to be careful not only about our own health but our family’s health as well. 

Car rentals can help you ensure that you’re minimizing your exposure to Covid-19 in a myriad of ways. Let’s explore how renting a car is the safer and smarter choice during this pandemic.

Public transport might be more dangerous

When taking public transport, whether it be the MRT to Makati, a jeep in Quezon City, or even a rideshare to Taguig, we are taking a gamble on our health. Even though many public transport vehicles are said to be sanitized after each ride, the fact remains that this is hard to enforce. 

Just last March, there were concerns raised over a viral video which showed cleaning personnel “hastily disinfecting” MRT-3 trains. Instead of the deep cleaning and thorough sanitizing they were meant to do, the workers were shown just spraying and carelessly wiping the handles in the train compartment. 

Even with the plastic dividers which are now ubiquitous in jeepneys, cleanliness is not guaranteed. If a passenger is not wearing their mask properly and therefore exposing their nose, a mere sneeze from them could spray the seats and dividers with viral particles. 

Unfortunately, this kind of scenario is unavoidable when taking public transport, as you have to share each ride with other people. 

Car rentals are cleaner and safer

For peace of mind, make sure you transport yourself and your family in a clean, sanitized vehicle. With a car rental, you can be assured that the vehicle has been ssanitized thoroughly before the handoff. At CF can rentals, we make sure that each car goes through a multi-step cleaning process, with a complete vehicle cleaning and disinfecting of interior surfaces, as well as a thorough washing of the car exterior. 

No need to share with strangers

Ridesharing and public transport in general is inherently more dangerous due to the fact that there are other strangers in an enclosed space with you. According to the WHO, infection is more likely the longer you spend in crowded, poorly ventilated spaces in close proximity with others. Unfortunately, public transport in the Philippines is often indeed crowded, with buses, jeeps and trains often packed with passengers despite the pandemic. 

In contrast, once you drive off in your rental car, you have full control on who has access to your vehicle. If you drive your family around, you can be certain that only you and your loved ones are ever in the vehicle, thus avoiding any outside sources of contamination.