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Sep 05, 2023

State cracking down on illegal car rentals at airport

Apr 21, 2023 The Kahului Airport parking lot is a sea of vehicles Thursday

Apr 21, 2023

The Kahului Airport parking lot is a sea of vehicles Thursday afternoon. Airport officials along with Maui Police are working to crack down on peer-to-peer rental car businesses operating without permits at Kahului Airport. Thefts of cars with lock boxes or unlocked doors with keys inside are being taken from the airport lot, officials said. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

Since early March, the state Department of Transportation has been working "hand in hand" with the Maui Police Department to crack down on peer-to-peer rental car businesses operating without permits at Kahului Airport.

The issue has grown more visible in part because of recent car thefts. State DOT spokesman Jai Cunningham said that in the past three months, there have been 28 car thefts at the airport, and "many of those thefts have been peer-to-peer parking rental cars that have noticeable lock boxes on them, or unlocked doors with keys left inside."

He added that police and the airport security team are trying to increase awareness that it is illegal to conduct commercial business at the airport without a permit and are trying to cut down on the peer-to-peer parking at the airport, which takes up parking spaces from others.

Peer-to-peer car rentals involve private car owners who rent out their vehicles by using online and mobile applications. On Maui, Turo and other car-sharing businesses grew in popularity as pent-up desire to travel following the initial waves of COVID brought a surge of visitors to the island. That led to a lack of commercial rental cars — some of which had been shipped off island during the pandemic — and led to residents renting out their vehicles.

A Maui Police Department spokesperson confirmed earlier this month that they are working with DOT and that the department will continue to cite violators as requested by the DOT. Police noted there is a sign on the automated arm at the public parking lot that details Hawaii law preventing unpermitted business activity at the airport.

Some Maui residents who have peer-to-peer vehicle rentals with the Turo car-sharing marketplace say they are trying their best to comply with the law, and that unpermitted owners are giving the legal ones a bad reputation. But, they say, they need more help from Turo and the state.

Maui residents Karissa and Jon Baker of Chosen Rentals say that last year they obtained a permit from the DOT to have a shuttle pick up their Turo customers at the airport. They said the process took time, but they wanted to comply with the law.

But one hurdle they are still facing is that the Turo booking site still offers options for service at Kahului Airport, which has caused some confusion and frustration.

Karissa Baker said they have had reservations canceled when customers find out that their lot is off-site, which they disclose clearly. She said most guests understand but there are a few that still want the airport service.

Some customers have also asked why other friends who booked with Turo can receive service at the airport, prompting the Bakers to explain the state laws to those customers.

The Bakers have more than 70 vehicles in their platform, some of which are owned by others but managed by the Bakers as part of their fleet.

Karissa Baker said they have lots near the airport to house the vehicles and have also offered their services and lot for rent to help other Turo owners who may be stuck finding options on what to do with their vehicles.

She added that she understood the frustrations over the limited parking at the airport with visitors, residents and others battling for spots.

Kahului resident and Turo owner Lucky Joy Dumlao has also crossed paths with angry customers, who have yelled and criticized her when they find out there is no direct rental service at the airport.

She said she feels pressure from both the customers who want the airport service — as it is offered on the Turo website — and from the state, which is cracking down on the peer-to-peer business operating at the airports.

"I’ve been breaking down and crying," Dumlao said of the pushback from all sides.

Dumlao said her business, GJ Property, also takes care of cars from other owners. She said the goal for most is to make extra income to help supplement wages from their other jobs as well as to put their children through college, and that they do not rent out their cars to be rich.

"We are making money for better, not for making it worse," she added.

Dumlao admitted that she has had customers park vehicles in the airport parking lot, but she said there are no lockboxes that would entice criminals and that she picks up the cars quickly so they are not left in the lot for hours.

She added that police have also come to her residence to tell her that her Turo vehicles cannot park at the airport. But by then she had already moved the rental cars out of the lot.

Dumlao now has to rent a lot off-site to keep cars away from the airport and from her home, as the cars she had stored at her residence also prompted complaints. But rent at $7,000 a month is high for small businesses trying to generate a little more income for working families, she said.

Turo did not respond to emails for comment on the matter.

The state, however, is hopeful a solution can be worked out given success at other airports.

"We have had success in Lihue by facilitating Turo reaching out to off-site property owners to lease spaces to leave their cars for rental," Cunningham said. "We’re hoping we can come to a similar agreement in Kahului."

* Staff Writer Melissa Tanji can be reached at [email protected].

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