Committee airs competing views on draft rental-car and peer-to-peer rules; substitute adopted for further review

The Transportation and Commerce Committee discussed a committee substitute to Board Bill 25, an ordinance that would change how rental activity is regulated at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, drawing competing testimony from airport staff, peer-to-peer car-sharing representatives and rental-industry trade groups.

The committee substitute was placed before the body for review and the chair moved to adopt the substitute into the public record; the substitute was adopted by the committee for further consideration. The chair noted the airport director would provide written feedback to the committee and that the item would return for further discussion.

Airport concerns: Rob Salarano, the airport's property manager, and airport staff told the committee they are reviewing the substitute and raised several operational concerns. Salarano told the committee the substitute's fee schedule language "changes our on-airport rental car concession agreements" and could affect minimum guarantee protections that exist in concession contracts. He also said sections that would require vehicle details such as model, color and VINs appeared unnecessary and that a placard requirement could create liability problems for peer-to-peer models whose hosts sometimes leave keys with vehicles.

Peer-to-peer operator response: Aaron Baraza, senior airport partnerships manager for Turo, asked the committee to avoid a one-size-fits-all requirement that would force peer-to-peer platforms to operate under the same terms as legacy rental-car companies. "Turo is a peer to peer car sharing company where vehicle owners, many of which are your constituents, share their personal vehicles with those looking to book a car," Baraza said. He said peer-to-peer operators use markedly different operational models and that airports typically negotiate distinct permits for those differences.

Rental-industry support for parity: Don Lefebvre, executive director of the American Car Rental Association (ACRA), testified the ordinance would ensure parity for all rental activity on airport property and allow the airport to collect appropriate fees and require consistent safety and operating standards. "This ordinance takes an important and overdue step to ensure that all rental activity at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, whether conducted by traditional rental car companies or peer to peer platforms, is treated equally under the law," Lefebvre said.

Next steps and public record: Committee members agreed not to vote final passage of Board Bill 25 at this session; the committee substitute was adopted to make the language available for public review and for airport staff to return with comments. The chair said he expected additional meetings in the near term to reconcile operational concerns and to allow interested parties to provide written input.