Car Rentals Near Me
If you’re traveling out of state or visiting a new city, renting a car can be your best and most budget friendly option for getting around. In the modern age, car rental options are plentiful and include many makes and models to suit your individual car needs. Need a car that’s good on gas? There are eco-friendly options to help you get from point A to point B! Need a vehicle with lots of space? There are several sizes of SUV to choose from.
Are you interested in car rentals in your area? Simply browse car rentals near me on the map below and find a list of car rental locations in close proximity to your current location. Need a bit more information on car rentals? Read on for facts, trivia, and tips on car rental services!
Car Rentals Near Me – Find it on the Map
Car Rentals Near Me – Car Rentals Trivia
What’s the history of car rentals?
Like so many things in the United States, renting cars began as a humble process with simple roots. The US car rental industry is believed to have began back in 1916 when a Nebraska man by the name of Joe Saunders took it upon himself to lend out his Ford Model T to visiting businessmen passing through town. The savvy entrepreneur affixed a mileage meter to the left front wheel of his vehicle and would charge renters a total of 10 cents per mile in order to cover the wear and tear his beloved ford. After a few outings, it didn’t take long for Saunders to realize he’d stumbled onto a lucrative business idea. By 1925, Saunders started an independent car rental company that had grown to include operations in more than 21 states throughout the US. He also began to diversify his fleet of vehicles. According to salvaged Chrysler ads from the 1920s, Saunders boasted a fleet worth nearly 1 million dollars. Competitors quickly caught onto Saunders unique rent-a-car model. It wasn’t long before Walter. L. Jacobs, started renting out a dozen or so Model T Fords of his own. By 1923, Jacobs business was grossing more than 1 million dollars a year, proving stiff competition for Saunders and his fleet of Chrysler vehicles. Did you know the history on car rentals prior to searching car rentals near me?
No two rental car companies are exactly alike.
When did the car rental agency begin to truly burgeon?
Renting a car is as common today as picking up your mail, yet the car rental industry didn’t begin to truly burgeon until the years following World War II. Consider this while searching car rentals near me. Statistics from this time show that the car rental industry matched the growth rates of an a hugely popular transportation method- airlines. As the number of airline passengers grew, the need for rental cars grew as well. Just as with railroads, car rental companies began opening rental locations inside or in close proximity to major airports. Hertz is credited with opening the very first airport car rental facility when it provided travelers with top notch vehicles at Chicago’s Midway Airport in 1932. Next came Warren Avis, who launched Avis Airlines Rent A Car System in 1946 in Detroit, MI.
Car Rentals Near Me – Car Rentals Facts
Airport Fees
When searching car rentals near me, it may be tempting to rent from the airport you are flying into or live near. Unfortunately, experts advise that renting from an airport will typically bring more fees than picking up your car at an outside retail location. The Federal Trade Commission notes that rental rates are often substantially higher if you pick up a car at the airport as airport concession and recovery charges and other fees can add a whopping 10 percent more cost to the total cost of your car rental. This applies just about any time you rent a car from the company’s airport location. Be wary, taking the airport shuttle to a nearby location can also lead to rising costs. Typically your best bet is going to a stand alone location near the airport to avoid costly fees.
Returning Early May Just Cost You
Here’s another fact while searching rental cars near me. You might think that returning the vehicle early would save you money, as you’re no longer using the car. Unfortunately, if you’re getting a weekly rate, returning the vehicle early may be extra costly. This is because some rental companies will cancel your discounted rate as you didn’t meet the minimum number of days to meet promotion standards. If you’re renting on a five day special and return the car at day four, they may cancel your special rate and charge you the standard rate for a four day rental. Other companies are prone to profiting fees for days you didn’t use, so you may pay a little less. Of course, they will often tack on an early return fee on your bill, often unbeknownst to you. Make sure you always understand your chosen rental companies return policy and potential billing fees prior to renting a car or searching car rentals near me. It’d be pretty devastating to lose a special discount or be hit with fees simply for returning the vehicle early.
Small Companies Boast Big Benefits
While it’s tempting to pick up your car from a well known name brand company while searching car rentals near me, renting from a smaller company can often lead to the best deals. In order to compete with larger chains, smaller companies will often offer more amenities such as free use of GPS, free second driver, and less cost per mile over. Of course, this isn’t true of all small companies so your best bet is to do some research and shop around.
