ICRS 2024: The annual industry update relayed positive signals for overall industry growth amid some uncertainties and volatility for auto rental fleets.
Sharky Laguana of the American Car Rental Association will help shape EV-related policies with car rental and private ground transportation priorities in mind.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10220325/acra-president-gains-federal-advisory-seat-on-evs
The global company's executive management team is ready to launch a three-pronged approach for developing business and boosting profitable growth.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10220148/europcar-mobility-execs-ready-to-pursue-strategic-plan
Vehicles equipped with its driving technology can be remotely connected to and driven over LTE and 5G which will help streamline operations and save on costs.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10220013/halo-car-starts-beta-program-for-remote-driven-vehicles
The vehicle inspection app ensures all types of inspections are consistent across all locations, regardless of who does it.
Booking.com's Isabel Williams brings more than 25 years of varied marketing experience to the global auto rental brands.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219760/green-motion-and-u-save-hire-new-chief-marketing-officer
The global auto rental company will start off with locations at the Podgorica International Airport and in the downtown of the capital city.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219758/american-car-rental-brand-u-save-launches-in-montenegro
CAR 2024: Unlike a combustion engine, an EVs long-term value is maintained daily, based on the unique charging habits and battery management of its owner.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219572/valuing-electric-vehicles-for-successful-buying-and-selling
A new partnership will lead a growing international expansion for the two car rental brands.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219601/new-ceo-appointed-to-cargini-and-carq
The addition of the Turks and Caicos franchise will see the global auto rental company offering car rental services at the Providenciales International Airport.
In this closing keynote panel, experts from various mobility areas will discuss several topics on mobility, including the rise of EV and autonomous vehicles and the power of platforms.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219498/icrs-2024-how-is-car-rental-adapting-to-mobility-changes
The I-15 charging infrastructure will be suited to all electric fleets, including light- to medium-duty vehicles.
The Kona International Airport branch extends the global car rental company's presence in Hawaii to seven locations serving four islands.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219272/sixt-opens-new-car-rental-branch-at-hawaii-airport
Year-to-date sales in commercial, rental, and government fleet sectors are scraping 600,000 vehicles sold.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219231/march-fleet-vehicle-sales-dip-but-q1-total-rises
By providing time-stamped photos for vehicle inspections, the vehicle inspection app helps rental car companies establish a complete inspection history for a vehicle.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10219186/purco-bynx-launch-vehicle-inspection-app
Green Motion Italia has opened eight more locations at different airports throughout Italy.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218748/green-motion-expands-locations-in-italy
Attendees will learn new technologies and customer-centric approaches to damage detection, identity and insurance verification, counter upsells, and more.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218700/icrs-2024-crafting-a-customer-centric-rental-process
iSeeCars analyzed charger data to determine which cities have the most chargers available to retail and fleet customers alike.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218396/report-reveals-most-ev-friendly-places-in-america
The elite car rental service company complements its other locations in the Carolinas as it pursues more expansion throughout the Southern region.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218243/go-rentals-opens-new-fbo-location-in-south-carolina
Former Delta Airlines COO Gil West will succeed Scherr, previously a three-decade executive leader at Goldman Sachs, on April 1.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218266/hertz-ceo-stephen-scherr-to-step-down-march-31
The international roll-out by :Dribe is designed to cater to dynamic, urban lifestyles through simple and flexible car access.
Domestic brands continue to have the highest inventory while Asian imports rank lowest.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218162/new-vehicle-supply-dips-in-february-but-still-far-above-2023
Managing EV charging expenses and payments can help smooth the transition to running electric fleet vehicles.
The suite of tools improves its functions through regular communication with and feedback from users.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218152/sofiac-travel-introduces-new-car-rental-management-software
In this interactive seminar, attendees will learn how to craft interview questions that can reveal insights into the candidates they are looking to hire while steering clear of potential legal pi...
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10218005/icrs-2024-how-to-navigate-the-employment-interview
This seminar will provide insights on the forces driving today’s car rental market as well as fleet trends.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10217315/icrs-2024-update-on-todays-car-rental-market
With new-vehicle inventory rising in the U.S., downward price pressure and higher incentives appear to be key drivers of the market’s momentum.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10217362/new-vehicle-prices-down-5-4-from-peak
The deal helps both companies bring complementary services to a fleet clientele demanding high vehicle health and cleanliness standards.
The latest numbers more activity in the lanes at Manheim in the second half of the month and finished the last week of February with some of the strongest weekly gains in wholesale prices for man...
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10217165/wholesale-used-vehicle-prices-declined-in-february
February sales figures show a major gain in new rental cars that makes up for flat or lower sales in the commercial and government fleet sectors.
The J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience Ownership Study identifies pain points in EV ownership, plus evaluates the top influences to customer satisfaction. See which vehicles ranked ...
The leaders join the carsharing company at a pivotal time, as it focuses on right-sizing the business and streamlining operations in a push to create greater value
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10216767/getaround-appoints-two-top-executives
As the wholesale market returns to a new normal following the pandemic, this seminar looks at an overview of the current market, including inventory and pricing, as well as emerging trends.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10216640/icrs-2024-understanding-the-post-pandemic-wholesale-market
This seminar will allow attendees to interact with a live chatbot to understand how AI can handle complex customer service issues and provide opportunities for 24/7 access.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10216588/icrs-2024-ai-for-car-rental
The alliance underscores the growing global appetite among vehicle rental companies to drive growth, enhance safety, and improve customer experiences through connected fleets with telematics.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10216502/rentalmatics-europcar-iceland-renew-partnership
A nonprofit law firm contends the national car rental company is not providing hand controls on enough rental vehicle models.
CAR 2024: What’s next for electric vehicle adoption? A closing keynote “candidate-style” debate will confront the harder realities setting in for mass electrification and whether it’s due...
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10216346/grand-ev-debate-to-dig-deep-on-ev-challenges
DriveX’s inspection allows Transporent’s employees to take guided photos of cars and easily mark damages on the photos.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10216206/sixt-baltics-franchise-uses-new-vehicle-inspection-tool
Thai Rent a Car will operate the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, and Alamo brands.
Inventory levels reach the highest point since June 2020 while the number of buyers who can afford a new vehicle is the best since June 2021.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10215645/new-vehicle-supply-spikes-affordability-surges
Locations include on-terminal and downtown outlets in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, and Hurgarda.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10215467/green-motion-launches-egypt-master-car-rental-franchise
A recent JD Power reliability study shows users find electric vehicles far more troublesome than gasoline and hybrid vehicles.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10215465/evs-bring-more-problems-than-other-vehicle-types
Cassan and his wife Doris opened the first Dollar Rent A Car franchise in Seattle in 1968 and later purchased the Portland, Ore., Dollar Rent A Car franchise.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10215328/in-memoriam-james-cassan-rental-car-operator-and-owner
Two seminars tackle the topic of developing leadership potential, including how to elevate your leadership culture and the importance of inclusivity for business success.
The collaboration aims to improve the accessibility and convenience of short-term truck rentals on a global scale.
The India-based companies are offering improved financial products to help carsharing ventures access more affordable used cars.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10215197/zoomcar-cars24-expand-support-for-carsharing-hosts
The declining resale values of electric rental fleet vehicles and consumer reluctance is generating financial headwinds for the global car rental company.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10215119/hertz-records-q4-losses-amid-ev-fleet-fallout
The latest decision follows a one-third cut in Hertz's existing EV fleet as customers and consumers are not embracing EVs as much as expected.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10215081/hertz-nixes-plans-to-buy-polestar-electric-vehicles
Rental fleet sales gain by a fifth compared to last year while commercial fleet sales dip by double digits.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214917/fleet-sales-start-year-slightly-up
CAR 2024: The IARA brings together a panel to address one of the biggest challenges for consignors.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214915/how-do-you-make-a-high-mileage-car-desirable-to-buy
In this keynote seminar, a panel of experts will discuss how to rethink your rental operations for a connected environment.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214766/icrs-2024-how-to-join-the-connected-car-market
In another sign of EV hesitancy, a new survey shows only 1% of business travelers always rent them when using auto rental companies.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214797/barely-20-of-travelers-occasionally-rent-electric-vehicles
The Global Business Travel Association survey of travel buyers shows 60% plan more travel activity in 2024 and two-thirds expect their companies to increase travel spend.
The carrier market is ready for a transformative year in 2024 based on the industry's resilience, shifting dynamics, and early indicators of improvement.
Branch openings in Chile, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Cayman Islands highlight continued global expansion for the global car rental business.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214721/enterprise-mobility-enters-latin-american-caribbean-markets
The new rental car branches affirm how over the last decade, the U.S. has become the most important growth market for SIXT with 100 rental branches in 23 states.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214527/sixt-usa-extends-off-airport-presence-with-six-new-locations
CAR 2024: Next generation thinkers will delve into digital strategies that can cut costs, win over customers, and boost profits.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214477/reworking-the-remarketing-funnel-for-future-growth
Electric vehicles may seem buggy and expensive now, but prices will inevitably come down as battery technology evolves and EV infrastructure becomes more commonplace.
A report found the U.S. ranked 17th out of 18 top markets for travel due to decades of underinvestment and a lack of focus and coordination from federal policymakers.
The former manager of Budget and Hertz operations in Chicago and New York strongly supported an industry association.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214322/in-memorium-dick-hemel-rental-car-operator-and-leader
The industry's first EV-specific valuation algorithm includes proprietary analytics from 100 million real-world EV battery data points.
You may not have a large fleet, but you can still prevail in your market with the right game plan.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214211/icrs-2024-how-small-rental-companies-can-boost-profits
The trend of predictable seasonal length of rental continues, with the decrease as positive, and many repairers finding ways to anticipate and operate in the new normal.
Auto rental companies that have adopted AI-based damage assessment technology see sizable decreases in vehicle downtime and much more customer satisfaction.
For the full year, Cox Automotive estimates sales for used retail were down about 3%, curtailed by a constrained supply of newly used vehicles in the market.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10214106/used-vehicle-supply-closes-out-at-high-point-for-2023
The business will first operate as Green Motion in Bogota, Cali, Medellin, and Cartagena, supporting the international airports and downtown locations.
The global auto rental provider and Detroit OEM will apply enhanced technology to improve rental car operations at customer locations.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213810/sixt-stellantis-form-mega-deal-on-rental-fleet-vehicles
Column: An introduction to the rental car industry contrasts with a clueless long-ago viewpoint about the realities of doing business.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213664/a-second-impression-smarter-than-the-first
The American Car Rental Association chose a franchise and operations manager with more than 30 years of experience to fill a vacant seat.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213587/acra-adds-phil-spink-to-board
In another high profile indicator of consumer EV skepticism, the auto rental giant will sell off the EVs to avoid further financial losses.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213563/hertz-to-replace-one-third-of-ev-fleet-with-ice-vehicles
The new branch is global auto rental company's first branch in Utah and will serve the nearly 25 million annual passengers to Salt Lake City International Airport.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213389/sixt-expands-car-rental-service-into-utah-market
The inspection technology closely combs a car’s exterior during the check-in and check-out process and generates a complete damage report within seconds.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213387/new-360-scanner-uses-ai-to-detect-vehicle-damage
The technologies ready to streamline and strengthen the car rental industry also come with uncertainties and challenges.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213335/ai-evs-data-risks-the-drivers-of-future-auto-rental-trends
Manheim expects constrained growth with a volume increase of less than 1% in 2024, indicating a return to a more normal market.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213309/used-vehicle-values-fall-by-20-since-2021-peak
Column: We just exited the most disruptive — and profitable — period in the history of the auto rental industry. How can we prepare for what’s next? Hint: The biggest issue in 2024 isn’t ...
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213216/how-car-rental-operators-can-prevail-in-2024
The annual compendium of stats, info, trends and tidbits points to renewed business activity across the car rental industry.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213205/2024-auto-rental-news-fact-book-arrives-online
Cox Automotive welcomes a return to normalcy after four years of everything but normal, with nothing in the data suggesting vehicle market surges in any direction.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213100/auto-market-forecast-for-2024-the-old-normal
The end-of-year tallies show a healthy 28% annual increase across commercial, rental, and government fleet sectors.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213124/2023-fleet-vehicle-sales-soar-past-2-million-mark
Independent and franchised car rental operators share their perspectives on vehicle availability and cost, fleet mix, car rental rates, incorporating technology and telematics — and how they pl...
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213110/industry-trends-whats-driving-the-rental-market-today
The product leverages artificial intelligence and computer vision technology to provide a virtual overlay of any exterior damage detected on a vehicle, making it easier to spot hail, paint peel, ...
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213094/openlane-launches-ai-tool-to-pinpoint-vehicle-damage
Column: With the passing of Joe Knight, we give pause to reflect on his contributions to the industry and to the growth of ACRA, and our commitment to continuing the work for a stronger industry.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10213058/a-fond-adieu-to-an-industry-friend
While rental car companies continued to grow business in 2023, the rate of increase since the pandemic is easing back to normal levels.
EV inventory is stacking up on dealer lots as consumers spooked by high prices and sparse charging stations second-guess or resist buying them.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10212416/plenty-of-electric-vehicles-available-for-sale
The total U.S. supply of available unsold new vehicles in November climbed 57%, or 925,000 units, from the same time a year ago.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10212346/new-vehicle-inventory-surpasses-2-5-million-71-days-supply
The car rental provider will become certified in the highest automobile-focused safety standards that complement its luxury travel services.
USAF fighter pilot Michelle “MACE” Curran will bring lessons of how overcoming fears can propel success in her keynote presentation at the International Car Rental Show.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10212172/icrs-keynote-speaker-breaks-barriers-to-overcome-adversity
The event hit record high attendance and exhibit space as speakers delved into many business aspects of the nation's auto rental industry.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10212090/18th-brazil-car-rental-forum-marks-historic-industry-high
Some things will never show up on a resume or an obituary, but they matter — to an industry and a friend.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10212017/celebrating-mentors-industry-friends-and-joe
Analysts are expecting a measured movement through December and the year, which should reach the January forecast for a 4% year-over-year decline.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211981/wholesale-used-vehicle-prices-decrease-in-november
Bobit releases the latest aggregate numbers for specific fleet sectors as total sales look to close out 2023 well ahead of last year.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211764/november-fleet-sales-results-mixed-still-up-ytd
The company started operating at Ioannina Airport in Greece and won a prestigious travel industry award for the third year in a row.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211632/surprice-car-rentals-opens-new-location-wins-award
The improved digital marketplace will provide a secure one-stop-shop experience with best-in-class cross-border services and real-time delivery options.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211626/adesa-rebrands-to-openlane-in-europe
Knight served as vice-president of airport concessions and properties at Fox Rent a Car for 22 years and was former president and board member of the American Car Rental Association (ACRA).
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211552/in-memoriam-joe-knight-car-rental-industry-veteran
The recent Fleet Forward Conference presented updates to the fleet, used vehicle, and electric vehicle supply and demand.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211305/vehicle-markets-in-flux-how-are-fleets-doing
The new team has ambitious plans to open 12 more locations in 2024-25 across the country, including Sicily in early 2024.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211385/u-save-celebrates-its-official-launch-in-italy
The international auto rental provider has a vision of eventually reaching 100 countries worldwide in coming years.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211307/finalrentals-opens-outlet-in-puerto-rico
Analysis: Slowing EV adoption, an expensive UAW labor contract, and higher consumer interest rates will diminish the profits and gains of recent years.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211298/3-headwinds-that-will-batter-the-auto-industry
The latest numbers add up to a gutpunch for the resale values of used electric vehicles as the early adopter market for EVs taps out and mainstream vehicle buyers remain cautious.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10211173/used-ev-prices-tank-as-demand-craters
The technology can enable rental fleet, mobility, and infrastructure operators to react instantly to market conditions and scale up their revenue.
https://www.autorentalnews.com/10210784/how-to-boost-revenues-with-ai-dynamic-pricing
Culminating in over 45 days on the picket line, members at each of the Detroit Three have approved new contracts in favor of the UAW.