General Motors has announced it will be scaling back its Maven car sharing service and focusing on markets where it has experienced the greatest degree of success with the venture.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Maven will be pulling out of eight “major” US markets including Chicago and Boston. GM did not provide a complete list of the closures, but confirmed it would continue to operate in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Detroit and Toronto. Maven currently operates in 17 markets in North America.
“We’re shifting Maven’s offerings to concentrate on markets in which we have the strongest current demand and growth potential,” GM told WSJ in a statement.
The automaker is remaining tight-lipped on the details of the operations adjustment. One Maven customer in Chicago told WSJ the automaker had contacted to them to say it would be winding down in the city by July 26.
GMÂ also declined to elaborate on its reasons for pulling out of what would seemingly be crucial markets for a ride-sharing business.
This news comes after Maven boss Julia Steyn left the company suddenly in January. Steyn had been with Maven since its launch in January of 2016 and was its second major executive departure in less than a year, with director of urban mobility Petr Kosak leaving the company in February of 2018.
At the time of Steyn’s departure, GM indicated that her leaving would not affect Maven’s operations, although it declined to say why she left. Media organizations were also unable to reach Steyn for comment.
Maven gives users access to a fleet of GM vehicles that they can rent using a smartphone app. Eligible GM vehicles owners and lessees can also make their vehicles available to rent through the app for money. In addition to the aforementioned markets, Maven also operates (or previously operated in) Denver, San Francisco, Ann Arbor, Orlando, Jersey City, Baltimore, San Diego, Austin and Kitchener-Waterloo.
Source: Wall Street Journal
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Comments
what is the difference between maven and any other rental car company like hertz?
It’s an hourly car rental service. So it’s like Hertz, just no rental agency involved. You just use an app and your phone to use the car.
Another Barra Blunder. Why not sell cheap like this and Cruise and get back to BUILDING GREAT CARS AND TRUCKS?
“Why not sell cheap like this and Cruise and get back to BUILDING GREAT CARS AND TRUCKS?”
Because in order to build great cars and trucks, GM needs to get out from under their unions.
Interesting. The last time I looked GM was headquartered at the Renaissance Center, not Solidarity House.
Love that GM can’t be bothered to list the cities it’s pulling out of. Nothing like having your customers waste their time downloading an app and having no cars in the area and didn’t realize GM had pulled out. Not the way to instill loyalty.