Sign up now. Hosts can set up listings today; bookings open when the marketplace launches.
Peer-to-peer car sharing · Rochester
Car sharing in Rochester and the western Finger Lakes
Levy is a peer-to-peer car-sharing marketplace for Rochester and Monroe County. Owners list their cars, and drivers rent them for wine-trail weekends, Lake Ontario beach days, and trips the bus does not reach. Hosts can create draft listings now. Bookings open when the marketplace launches.
In Rochester, 23.4% of households have no vehicle, according to 2020 to 2024 Census survey data (Census data via Census Reporter). RTS runs fixed routes and on-demand zones across Monroe County, but since September 7, 2026, RTS On Demand no longer runs on weekends or after 8 p.m. on weekdays (RTS). Weekend trips to the lakes need a car.
Two large universities add to the mix. The University of Rochester enrolled 11,211 students in fall 2025 (University of Rochester), and RIT had 14,145 undergraduates and 2,568 graduate students on its main campus (RIT).
For hosts
Rochester sits between Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes, so summer and fall weekends pull drivers south to the wine trails and north to the lakeshore. Open the weekends you want and keep the rest.
The airport handles about 2.4 million passengers a year (ROC), and Amtrak's Rochester station sits on Central Avenue. A host near either can serve travelers who arrive without a car.
Arrival and pickup
Getting to a car in Rochester
Airports
Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International (ROC)
Monroe County renamed the airport for Frederick Douglass by a law signed August 24, 2020 (Monroe County). It sits about 4 miles southwest of the city and has 19 nonstop destinations (ROC). RTS buses serve the terminal all day from the lower level (ROC transportation).
Rail and transit
Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Station
At 320 Central Avenue, opened in October 2017 and served by Empire Service, the Lake Shore Limited, and the Maple Leaf (Great American Stations).
RTS regional service
Beyond Monroe County, RTS runs regional buses in Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, and Wyoming counties (RTS).
Practical pickup areas
Near the Amtrak station
The station on Central Avenue is a natural pickup area for train travelers.
Southwest of the city, near ROC
A host near the airport, about 4 miles southwest of the city, can meet travelers who fly in.
Campus neighborhoods
Near the University of Rochester campus or RIT in Henrietta. Hosts there can open their cars around move-in, breaks, and graduation.
Popular trips
Where people drive from Rochester
Letchworth State Park
The "Grand Canyon of the East," with three major waterfalls on the Genesee River and cliffs up to 600 feet. USA TODAY readers named it the best state park in 2015 and 2025 (NY State Parks).
Canandaigua Lake and Bristol Mountain
Canandaigua Lake is 15.5 miles long and up to 276 feet deep, with the city of Canandaigua at its north end (NYSDEC). Bristol Mountain nearby has a 1,200-foot vertical and runs fall sky rides from September to November (Bristol Mountain).
Keuka Lake
The Y-shaped lake is 19.6 miles long, with Penn Yan, Hammondsport, and Branchport on its shores (NYSDEC).
Seneca Lake and Watkins Glen
The Seneca Lake Wine Trail has more than 30 member wineries (Visit Finger Lakes). At the south end, Watkins Glen State Park packs 19 waterfalls into a mile-long gorge; the Gorge Trail is open from spring to October (NY State Parks).
The Lake Ontario shore
Hamlin Beach State Park has lifeguarded swimming from about June 20 to Labor Day (NY State Parks). To the east, Chimney Bluffs has earthen spires on the shore and a $5 vehicle fee from April through October (NY State Parks).
Highland Park Lilac Festival
A free festival each May in the Olmsted-designed park, with more than 500 lilac varieties (City of Rochester).
Local driving notes
What to know before you drive in Rochester.
Rules change. Check the linked official sources before a trip.
Lake-effect snow
About half of Rochester's snow is lake effect. Seasonal totals run from about 70 inches south of the city to about 90 in the city and more than 120 along the lakeshore to the east (National Weather Service). The 1991-2020 normal is 102.0 inches (NWS).
Thruway exits and tolls
The Thruway (I-90) runs south of the city, with Rochester exits at 45, 46, and 47 (Thruway interchanges). It has been fully cashless since November 2020 (Thruway), and Tolls by Mail bills go to the registered owner with a $2.00 surcharge (Thruway).
Downtown streets
The sunken Inner Loop East expressway was filled in and became Union Street in 2017 (City of Rochester), so older directions that use it are out of date.
Hosts in Rochester
Share your car in Rochester
You set the calendar and the daily price. Open summer and fall weekends for wine-trail trips, keep weekdays for yourself, and block dates when lake-effect snow is coming.
Hosts near the airport, the Amtrak station, or a campus can offer pickup where drivers arrive.
Create a draft listing today, before bookings open.
Set pickup near ROC, the Amtrak station, or your home.
Open the seasons you want.
Describe snow tires or all-wheel drive in the listing.
Keyless handoff
On a connected car, drivers unlock with the app during their trip window, using the same technology as Levy Guestpass. You never have to meet anyone to hand over keys.
Automatic toll handling
Tolls from a trip are handled automatically, so you are not chasing drivers for toll bills weeks later.
Your calendar, your price
You decide when the car is available and what it costs per day. Block dates whenever you need the car.
Your price, nothing added
Drivers pay your price plus tax, with no Levy fees added on top. You keep 70%, 80%, or 90% of the trip price, depending on the protection plan you choose.
We will email you when bookings open in Rochester.
Host a car in Rochester
Earn from your car in New York. It takes a minute, and you can create your listing right after.
Drivers in Rochester
Rent a car in Rochester from a local owner
Pick up a car from a local owner and head for Letchworth, Canandaigua, or the Lake Ontario shore, with no rental counter. Sign up for early access and we will email you when Rochester cars can be booked.
Cars near the airport, the Amtrak station, and campuses where hosts offer them
App unlock on connected cars
Thruway tolls handled automatically
Bookings are not open yet. Sign up and we will tell you when cars in Rochester can be reserved. How renting will work.
Get early access in Rochester
Rent cars from local owners across New York. Sign up and we’ll tell you first when bookings open near you.
Not yet. Hosts can create draft listings now, and bookings open when the marketplace launches. Sign up for early access and we will tell you when Rochester cars can be reserved.
How do I get around Rochester on weekends without a car?
RTS fixed routes still run, but RTS On Demand stopped weekend service on September 7, 2026. Once bookings open, a car from a local owner is another option for weekend trips.
How much snow should I expect driving around Rochester?
The National Weather Service normal is about 102 inches a season, and totals are higher along the lakeshore east of the city. Check the forecast before a winter trip.
Which Thruway exits serve Rochester, and how are tolls handled?
Exits 45, 46, and 47. The Thruway is cashless; on a shared car, Levy matches tolls to trips automatically, so the driver pays for tolls on their trip and the host is not left with the bill.
Can I pick up a car near the Rochester airport or Amtrak station?
If a host nearby offers pickup there. Each listing will show its pickup area before you book.
When is the Watkins Glen gorge trail open?
The Gorge Trail is seasonal. In 2026 it opened on May 9, and it usually closes in October.
Levy is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Turo. Turo is a trademark of its owner. Tolls, parking rules, and park reservations change; confirm with the official source before you drive.
New York notices
NOTICE: New York State Law prohibits the following practices by peer-to-peer car sharing program administrators based upon race, color, ethnic origin, religion, disability, sex, marital status, residence or geographic location, income, sexual orientation, genetic predisposition or age:
(1) refusal to allow participation in a peer-to-peer car sharing program; and
(2) the imposition of any additional charge (except in certain instances where the shared vehicle driver is under the age of 25). In addition, it is unlawful for any peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator to refuse to allow participation in the program to any person solely on the requirement of ownership of a credit card.
Leased or financed car?
If your vehicle is leased or financed, you may need more insurance. If your vehicle is subject to a lease or loan, you may need additional insurance coverage, including motor vehicle physical damage coverage (collision and comprehensive), to share it through Levy. Check your lease or loan agreement and ask your insurer. For insurance questions, contact the New York State Department of Financial Services: (800) 342-3736, www.dfs.ny.gov.
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