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Posts Tagged ‘Car Rental’

A few days ago, I came across an online discussion about whether you should prepay your car rental before you travel or wait until you get to your destination. I found a comment that I just had to respond to, but since the conversation ended back in 2006, I decided to reply via this blog instead.So what exactly was said to make me feel this way, I hear you ask? Brace yourselves!”Under no circumstances should you prepay (if you make a change or cancel it will be a real hassle and will probably cost you quite a bit of money)”I gasped. Oh the misconceptions and myths out there!So I’m setting the record straight. Here’s why you should prepay your car rental before you go.No Cancellation or Amendment FeesFirstly, if you cancel it will not cost you hassle or money! At DriveAway Holidays, we do not charge amendment or cancellation fees. Very occasionally, suppliers will charge fees (and we will pass it on to the consumer) but generally this only happens if you cancel within a 72 hour period and applies to selected suppliers in selected destinations only.Purchasing PowerWith 20 years experience in the car rental industry, DriveAway Holidays’ relationship with reputable suppliers means we can offer you lower prices on car rental overseas than if you were to walk in off the street. Plus, we have a Price Beat Guarantee, so if you happen to find a cheaper rate, we’ll beat it!^No Foreign Exchange WorriesPrepaying your car rental in Australian dollars before you go means that you don’t have to worry about exchange rate fluctuations. If you book your car hire when you arrive at a destination, changes in the exchange rate may mean you pay more than you would have at home in Australia.AvailabilityBy booking your car rental in advance, you can get the vehicle size you want. Whilst car rental suppliers do not guarantee a specific model, you will get the car class you reserved. If you wait until you are at the airport in a foreign country, especially in peak season, availability may be limited and so prices will be driven up. Avoid disappointment and save money by booking early! 

Peace of MindBooking your car rental in Australia before you travel means there are no language barriers to consider and it is easy and convenient. You have time to consider your options and read the small print as opposed to being “up sold” to on the spot at a car rental counter in a foreign country. Plus, DriveAway Holidays has a 24/7 Toll Free Customer Service line, accessible from around the world, so if you do run into problems, there is someone here to help. 

Added ValueWe can offer added value to your trip on top of your car rental. We offer GPS rental, for instance, which is an invaluable travel accessory, as well as sightseeing packages and accommodation. Also, at certain times of the year there will be various special offers in different areas so you can pick up a bargain! Earlybird season (which is fast approaching in November) is a great time to book your car rental for next year, with lots of special offers and free upgrades when you book early. Watch this space for more information!^Conditions apply. Visit www.driveaway.com.au for details.

It has been a huge month for us all here at DriveAway Holidays. We kicked July off in style at the annual AFTA National Travel Industry Awards. Always a good night, this year was even more exciting than last as we were hoping to walk off (or drive away with) an award for the third year in a row which is exactly what we did! It was a tense wait, with DriveAway being nominated in one of the last categories to be announced – which may explain the amount of wine being drunk by staff members at the table… But our wait finally came to an end when hosts Larry and Kylie from the Morning Show announced us as winners of the Best Car Rental Wholesaler category. Dan, our MD, gave an Oscar worthy speech and the award was promptly passed around the table for photo ops. A great night all round and another award to add to the DriveAway collection General consensus among the ladies….it wasn’t as good as last year…but only because last year’s host was the gorgeous Tom Williams! Maybe next year! After celebrating being NTIA’s Best Car Rental Wholesaler 2008, DriveAway Holidays had more cause for celebration this month with our 20th Birthday on 25 July 2008. There was much excitement amongst staff with lots of birthday cake (from www.sweetdreamscakes.com.au), iPod giveaways to our Reservations team and of course, for older staff members, the joy in saying “It’s our 20th birthday” (it’s been a long time since some of us could claim that!). Since the doors opened for DriveAway Holidays 20 years ago in Manly, NSW (now North Sydney, NSW)-We have become the leader in car rental, car leasing and self-drive holidays.-We have grown from 2 to over 90 staff.-We now work with over 20 rental suppliers with access to rates at over 4000 locations worldwide. Of course, we couldn’t have done any of it without the support of our customers, staff past and present, suppliers, partners…so a big thank you to everyone that has helped over the years to make DriveAway the success it is!

I get paid to sell self-drive holidays to Australians, to encourage them to take to the open roads and explore new territory behind the wheel of a rental car. I have a confession to make. I can’t actually drive.

Now I haven’t deliberately kept this from my employer, it wasn’t mentioned in my interview nor was it in my job description alongside having excellent communication skills, the ability to work as part of a team or to meet deadlines in a fast paced working environment. It was neither an essential nor desirable attribute.

I have never lied about it, but I do avoid voluntarily giving out this information about myself. I’m almost 25 for goodness sake! Kids I used to babysit have got in the driver’s seat before me. I guess I just haven’t got around to it in 7 years. I’m used to the convenience of city living and not needing to be able to drive.

So while I am cruising comfortably on my P plates in my car rental marketing career, I have yet to get my Learners licence to drive. The irony of the situation was pointed out to me at a recent industry function when I was talking to a marketing guru from an airline. He asked me what kind of car I drove and I said quietly that, actually, I can’t drive. “What!” he exclaimed “You work for a car rental company and you can’t drive?!” True. But, I said to him, you work for an airline, can you fly a plane?

You see, what I try to market or sell is not driving. We don’t sell the idea of jumping into a rental car, the exhilaration of putting the key in the ignition, turning on the engine and…well, whatever it is that comes next.

No, we try to sell the idea of freedom, the thought of having independence and flexibility on holidays, exploring new places, making memories and having a good time. We try to inspire people to visit places off the beaten track and discover new things.

So does it actually matter that I can’t drive? Do you think dog food marketers have actually tasted what they’re selling? Exactly.

I have travelled around the world and I have been in cars lots of times, often simultaneously, so I know the feeling of having the wind in your hair, good music in your ears and a smile on your face. I know the excitement of visiting new and foreign lands and the joy of travelling around, not being in a cramped Greyhound bus or overcrowded non-air conditioned train.

I have just been in the passenger’s seat, not the driver’s, that’s all.

Having said all that, I know that I need to learn to drive. Will I finally take the plunge and learn? Yes, most definitely, in part to aid my copywriting, to gain independence and well, to see what all the fuss about.

Yes, there’s all that and also that promise that my partner made about getting a shiny new Yaris when I do finally get my license. Now that is an incentive to learn.

As we await the results of the biggest US Presidential Election we have ever seen, I have found an interesting article on how car choice reflects how Americans vote.Kelley Blue Book Market Research surveyed almost 12,000 US car owners and how they planned to vote in the election. They found that owners of larger trucks and traditional luxury cars are more likely to vote for John McCain, while owners of hybrids and station wagons are more likely to vote for Barack Obama.Backers of Arizona senator McCain typically own American brands – GMC (61%), Chevrolet (60%), Buick and Dodge (58%). McCain voters are also more likely to drive luxury brands like Lexus and BMW.Barack Obama followers prefer imported vehicles, with the most popular being the Mini with 70%, Subaru (61%) and Saab (59%).McCain supporters are most likely to drive full size trucks and SUVs, while Obama voters drive station wagons, hatchbacks and hybrids.Rick Wainschel from Kelley Blue Book said “Car ownership says a lot about a person, and can even be an indicator who they are likely to vote for”. I do agree with this to an extent. While all this data may seem like a sweeping generalisation, some of it does make sense.Sales of domestic and large trucks (McCain) are higher in traditionally Republican ‘red’ states whilst import and hybrid owners are predominantly located in Democratic ‘blue’ states.Wired Blog claims all American brands like GMC and Chevrolet, as favoured by McCain followers, represent a blue collar ethic and fit with McCain’s image as a war hero with years of experience.Throughout the campaign, Obama has stressed the importance of renewable energy, so it’s not surprising that eco-conscious hybrid car owners would vote for him.So while some of it makes sense, I’m sure there are a lot of exceptions to the rule. I imagine a lot of American car choices reflect personal budgets and need for space rather than their voting preference.

Car rental can sometimes be a little confusing with lots of phrases being thrown around. To help you out, we have put together a glossary which will hopefully help with your next car rental booking.

Additional Driver: Additional to the main driver, registered and listed on the Rental Agreement. May be an extra charge for an additional driver, depending on the supplier.

Additional Liability Insurance (ALI): Provides additional protection for bodily injury or death plus property damage.

Airport Fee: Charge applied by airport authorities for terminal and off terminal locations. In most cases, this charge is also applied to additional charges, such as one way fees, fuel option, child seat rental etc which are not included in the daily rate and are paid at the counter.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of accidental damage to the rental vehicle other than by theft or attempted theft. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.

Excess Reduction (ER): Optional charge offered by the car rental company to reduce or waive the insurance excess in the event of an insurance claim against damage or theft.

Gazetted Roads: A sealed or unsealed road regularly maintained by a local, state or government body or council.

Insurance Excess: The amount the client is responsible for in the event the rental vehicle is damaged (whether the driver is at fault or not) or stolen.

Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of accidental damage and theft. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.

One Way Fee: This fee is imposed to cover the costs of returning the vehicle back to the originating location. In Australia & USA, charges may apply between cities within the same State and renting between States. Some countries charge for one way fees between airport and downtown locations within the same city.

Personal Accident Insurance (PAI): Covers the driver and additional passengers of the rental vehicle for personal and physical injuries incurred in an accident.

Premium Location Surcharge/Location Service Charge: Charge applied by car rental companies at selected downtown and railway locations. This additional item also includes the Airport Fee. In most cases, this charge is also applied to additional charges, such as one way fees, fuel option, child seat rental etc which are not included in the daily rate and are paid at the counter.

Rental Period: Your car rental period starts when you pick up the rental car and ends when you drop it off.  Rental periods are based on 24 hours periods from the time of pick up – so, for example, from 9am on a Friday to 9am the following day is charged as a one day rental.

Sealed Road: A road sealed with a hard material such as tar, bitumen or concrete.

Security Deposit: Amount frozen on the client’s credit card at time of collection. The amount frozen is usually the full insurance excess amount. However, if an insurance excess is not applicable or the full excess is not frozen then an amount may still be frozen for incidentals such as fuel bond, optional charges, loss of keys etc.

Senior Driver Surcharge: Surcharge payable by senior drivers over &/or between a specific age.

Theft Protection (TP): Covers the rental vehicle in the event of theft, attempted theft or vandalism. An excess usually applies and the amount will vary depending on the pick up country and/or vehicle type.

Third Party: Provides coverage against bodily injury to persons other than the driver of the rented car and property damage to anything other than the rental vehicle and contents of same.

Vehicle Licensing Fee/Vehicle Road Registration Fee: Government imposed levy for each rental car in the car provider’s fleet. Charge to partially recover the vehicle registration costs.

Young Driver Surcharge: Surcharge payable by young drivers under a specific age.

An Australian man has just won a settlement in a landmark age discrimination case against an Irish car rental company after being charged an extra fee for being over the age of 70.Anthony White tried to hire a car in Ireland 2 years ago when he was in his early seventies and was charged a EUR25 fee. He was also told he would not be able to rent a car on his next visit as he would be over 75.White took his case to Ireland’s Equality Tribunal who ruled in his favour that the policy amounted to age discrimination. Irish Car Rentals Ltd has since changed the rule and says the decision will now be made on a case-by-case basis involving assessments of age, health, driving record and insurance coverage.A senior driver surcharge is pretty common with car rental companies – you may have read a previous blog here about it (Too Old to Drive A Rental Car?) Some suppliers charge extra if drivers are over a certain age, others have a maximum age limit for renters and some require additional documentation (like Irish Car Rentals are now doing). The surcharge is applied to cover higher insurance premiums as older drivers as seen as higher risk.Does this case mean we may see an end to senior driver surcharges? Is it age discrimination to charge older drivers more as they are seen to be a higher risk?In that case, surely it is also age discrimination to charge someone under 25 a young drivers fee since they too are seen as a higher insurance risk and more likely to have an accident?In the case of Mr. White, he has been driving for 50 years and felt it was unfair to blanket all older drivers.I do agree with this and think the company’s new policy is fair – it depends on each individual’s circumstances and not their age. Will other car rental companies follow suit? We’ll have to wait and see.Final thought – one article I found about this was entitled “Old Man wins age discrimination suit against Irish rental car company” – “Old Man”? Surely that is age discrimination in itself?!

I had just got back from my own holiday to Bali when I arrived at work and they announced I was off to New Zealand with three of my colleagues. What a way to come back from one holiday and find out your going on another!The trip started with a slight hiccup. Our flight was delayed, which is the last thing you need when you’re at the airport after a busy morning at work, which also meant we would be late in picking up our rental car. We then had to call work and asked them to call New Zealand to make sure the depot knew we would be late. One of the benefits of working for a car rental wholesaler!About an hour later, we finally left and we were up in the air. It was a smooth flight and we arrived in Christchurch about 11pm. After collecting our bags, we went straight to the Hertz desk to be met by a friendly employee who was more than helpful.After the formalities of signing the rental agreement and getting the keys, we were then given a local map of the south island and a city map of Christchurch. The employee even highlighted how we were to get to our hotel in the centre of Christchurch.The car was in the car park, so away we went to find the car. We thought she said it was behind the police station and we were looking for quite a while, until it dawned on me that she had actually said pay station; we had misunderstood her kiwi accent!We eventually got to the hire car and it was a premium wagon with automatic transmission and it was nearly brand new, similar to a Ford Territory wagon. It came with heating, air-conditioning, radio, electric windows and heaps of room enough to relax while being one of the passengers in the car.We decided to use our Seymor GPS which we nicknamed “Moaning Myrtle”. We waited for the satellites to load on the Seymor GPS and then we were off to our hotel in Christchurch. It was cold and dark but we trusted our Seymor GPS and arrived stress free to the Rydges Hotel.For the next week the Seymor GPS and rental car were our life savers. It got us to all the destinations and sightseeing attractions and even got us from Christchurch to Queenstown in one piece.I would recommend hiring a car and taking the trusty Seymor GPS with you next time you go on a driving holiday.

DriveAway Holidays offer GPS rental and car hire in New Zealand.

As the population in Australia gets older, the problem of renting a car both in Australia and overseas becomes more of an issue. Most car companies will have some kind of restriction if the older generation is looking to rent a vehicle. Whilst you may think that as someone that has been driving for 50 years or more, car rental companies can see you as a major risk to their asset

The Senior Driver Surcharge is payable by senior drivers over &/or between a specific age. This depends on country and/or car rental company. It is just the same as our car insurance companies here in Australia charge a higher premium if you have a driver aged 21 years on the insurance.

The reason why it is charged is because the car rental company sees senior drivers as high risk and they get charged a premium to have senior drivers covered by their insurance company. However, other car rental companies just restrict the driving age so they don’t have to get additional insurance.

To give you a few examples on how it differs between suppliers, let’s take a look at Car Rental in Ireland. One car rental company has a maximum age of 74 years with no surcharge payable. Another car rental company charges a EUR29 incl Tax /day fee for drivers aged between 70-74 years. And, a third car rental company doesn’t charge a surcharge but they require additional documentation from driver’s aged between 76-79 years, as follows –

1) Note from their Insurers stating that they have not been involved in any accidents within the past 5 years.

2) Note from their doctor stating that they are in full health.

When booking your car rental, it is advisable to always be truthful of the age/s of all drivers and ask the car rental company if there are any additional conditions for senior driver’s. Failure to do so may result in you using public transport to get around on your holiday.

Car Rental brokers, such as DriveAway Holidays will be able to advise quickly as to which company is going to be able to accomodate the older driver.