Even after receiving a cease and desist order, Turo is still showing vehicles available for rent at Martha’s Vineyard Airport.
Geoff Freeman, the airport director, told the Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission at a meeting Thursday afternoon that roughly 40 vehicles were appearing as available for rent at the transportation hub on the car-sharing platform. That detail was revealed after Kevin Brennan, airport properties manager, recently met with a Turo regional manager.
The commission issued a cease and desist letter to Turo in July, which stated multiple car hosts, which included Massachusetts and Texan companies, were conducting unpermitted business on airport property. Last month, Brennan said that the airport’s parking lot was cleared of Turo vehicles after the letter was issued.
But among various demands from the airport included Turo removing all references to rental vehicle availability from its website.
“Which they did, but they put it back on,” Freeman said on Thursday. “Their conversation today said they can’t control their website.”
Turo wants to reach an agreement with the airport, but Freeman said the company will need to comply with their demands before discussion can be held for the next tourist season.
“At some point, we will be sitting down and talking with them,” Freeman said.
Turo vehicles also became an issue when they blocked patrons of the Plane View from dining at the restaurant, Geoff Wheeler, a commissioner, noted. Brennan previously told The Times that at one point a third of parking spaces were taken up by Turo vehicles.
A Turo representative was not immediately available for comment
