An intro to Turo's Public Policy Manager, Charles Melton
Charles Melton
Q: What was your first car?
A: A cherry red 1991 Ford Explorer.
Q: What is your dream car?
A: A 1973 Jeep CJ-5.
Q: What is your go-to weekend getaway destination?
A: Sonoma County - farm visits and wine tasting.
Q: What is your go-to movie you can watch over and over?
A: Point Break. Bank robberies, surfing, great one-liners, excellent cinematography, bad acting; it’s everything an early 90’s movie should be.
Q: Can you tell us about your role and how does it tie into what the Government Relations team at Turo is doing as a whole?
A: As Turo’s Public Policy Manager, my role is to shape our positions on policy topics including transportation, taxes, infrastructure, safety, insurance, the environment and many others. A key component of establishing policy positions includes researching and understanding complexities that exist in laws. Establishing clear and well developed policies builds a solid foundation upon which our Government Relations’ team advocates across the United States for laws and regulations that support peer-to-peer car sharing. Additionally, I engage with think tanks, non-profits, academic research institutions and other groups to inform them about the work Turo is engaged in and how Turo can continue to advance and create a new mobility solution and change the future of car ownership.
6. Q: Can you speak to what you’re currently working on with the OpenRoad readers?
A: Taxes. I wish it was more exciting, but I’ve been doing a lot of research and work on taxes. They are complex boondoggles, but they should be fair. Right now hard working car-owning citizens pay for sales taxes that the rental car industry does not (a $3.2 Billion tax break every year!). This must be taken into consideration before any additional tax is applied to peer-to-peer car sharing. Keep an eye on OpenRoad for some future updates on taxes on peer-to-peer car sharing.
Q: How can the current legislative fights that Turo is facing affect the future of mobility?
A: I see the current legislative fights as the critical conversations legislators need to have to decide on the future they want for their car owning residents. I also believe that the more legislators are informed about the positive impacts peer-to-peer car sharing can bring to their state and residents, they will support peer-to-peer car sharing and this mobility option that our community is creating together.
Q: Why is it important for OpenRoad readers to care about policies that are affecting Turo, and how can it potentially affect them?
A: The future of mobility and transportation is changing. And these changes are also impacting the economics of car ownership. OpenRoad allows our community of peer-to-peer car sharers to be informed about what is happening in their home state. It also allows them to influence legislation (before they become laws) so that our hosts and guests can either benefit from positive legislation or stop harmful legislation from getting signed into law. Through OpenRoad, our community can be informed and share with family and friends about the future of peer-to-peer car sharing.
Charles Melton is the Public Policy Manager for Turo. As part of the Government Relations team, Charles works on developing Turo’s policy positions on legislation. Charles also serves as the incoming President for the University of California, Davis Alumni Board of Directors and is an avid traveller and gardener.
Cherry Red 1991 Ford Explorer
Charles speaking with a European Delegation about the future of mobility.
Charles meeting with Assemblymember Richard Bloom at a Turo Lobby Day in Sacramento, CA.