In the New Orleans Bourbon Street incident, a 42-year-old Houston resident named Shamsud-Din Jabbar used a rented Ford vehicle to kill 14 people and hurt 35 others, shocking the country.
These tragedies have sparked serious concerns regarding Turo’s safety procedures and potential preventative measures as the platform’s popularity continues to rise.
Turo enables auto owners to hire their vehicles to private persons, frequently at more affordable rates than those offered by conventional rental agencies.
The Turo Risk Score, a unique multi-layer trust and safety system based on data science, is used to screen each Turo renter. To create, preserve, and enhance that Risk Score, we use more than 50 internal and external data sources, CEO Andre Haddad said in a statement. We are able to provide useful insights from this enormous data collection, and we are constantly improving and refining our system. Along with that technological investment, our Trust and Safety division has a seasoned group of former law enforcement officials on board.
The difficulties of hosting Turo
Geraldine Massamba, a former Turo host from Houston, talked about her issues and experiences with the platform.
There was always a risk when I put my car on Turo. When the car that belonged to someone I knew was eventually located, it was damaged after being stolen and driven out of state. “You’re left paying out of pocket if you don’t have the highest insurance coverage,” Massamba clarified.
Higher coverage levels translate into more rental income for Turo, according to the platform’s income-percentage model, she added.
Even in those cases, she continued, payment is frequently reviewed and contingent on the damage and your individual insurance.
Massamba questioned the screening procedure for renters, even though Turo offers comprehensive orientation for car owners to make sure their vehicles fulfill criteria. From a business standpoint, they make sure your car is in good condition and conduct extensive inspections. However, I’m not sure how thoroughly they screen tenants on the consumer side beyond requiring a driver’s license. It’s challenging to infer someone’s motivations from a few app clicks.
Massamba put a GPS tracker in her automobile for peace of mind. I was reassured by that tracker, but it’s still not flawless. Although you can see where your car is, you are unaware of what is going on there. It’s eerie.
Additionally, she limited the vehicle’s range. I imposed stringent mileage restrictions since I didn’t want my automobile to leave Houston. Even in that case, you have no influence over what someone does inside those boundaries.
Through the app, users select cars, settle on rental conditions, and pick them up from the owner or a prearranged place. The website has grown to be a popular choice for reasonably priced and distinctive car rentals, with 350,000 current vehicle listings spread over more than 16,000 cities worldwide.
More than 3.5 million people used Turo to rent cars between November 2023 and November 2024, according to company documents. However, the app’s possible weaknesses have come to light as a result of these recent high-profile occurrences.
The incident is being investigated by the FBI as a possible act of terrorism. Jabbar was apparently carrying extra guns and possible explosives, and he flew an ISIS flag on the car. Concerns about how rental services like Turo screen their users have grown after authorities determined that Jabbar acted alone.
The company’s website states that in order to rent a car, Turo needs a valid driver’s license, a home address, and a payment card. Additionally, it might look up a prospective renter’s criminal history and credit report.
Turo automobiles have been connected to criminal activities; in 2021, a Houston woman is accused of committing a string of crimes using seven cars that she rented from Turo.
While awaiting law enforcement investigations, the corporation is seeking advice from national security and counterterrorism specialists to improve its security protocols and avert repeat incidents, despite its impressive record.
Prior to the incident, Jabbar, a former military service man, posted a video to YouTube detailing his career path. He discussed the principles he acquired while serving in the U.S. Army in the video, highlighting the significance of accuracy and commitment. “I discovered the value of excellent service and what it means to be responsive, taking everything seriously, and making sure everything runs smoothly,” he said.
Jabbar put those ideas to use in his real estate industry by marketing himself as an expert negotiator in a quick web video for Blue Meadow Properties, which he ran until 2023. Prior to entering the real estate industry, Jabbar was a human resources and information technology specialist in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2015, with a 2009–2010 tour to Afghanistan. Up until 2020, he remained an IT specialist in the Army Reserve.
According to court documents, Jabbar struggled financially during the divorce process in 2022. He made about $10,000 while working for Deloitte in business development, accrued credit card debt, and pursued a speedy divorce settlement. Furthermore, according to public records, Jabbar was previously arrested for stealing in Harris County in 2002 when he was 20 years old. However, the case’s specifics are still unknown.
