U.S. Travel Association Applauds Changes to JOLT Legislation
The provisions made to the Jobs Originated through Launching Travel (JOLT) Act make long-term reforms to the visa system that both improve and expand the Visa Waiver Program.
The House and Senate made new provisions to the Jobs Originated through Launching Travel (JOLT) Act in order to create more jobs while maintaining national security.
The provisions make long-term reforms to the visa system that both improve and expand the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Under the proposed JOLT Act, additional countries will be considered for admission once they meet stringent security and law enforcement co-operation requirements. The full changes include:
The new JOLT Act (H.R. 5741, S.3199) includes the following provisions:
Amends the VWP to allow additional countries to be considered for admission once they meet stringent security and law enforcement co-operation requirements
Permits Canadian visitors to stay in the United States for an additional 60 days per year
Develops a pilot program for premium visa processing
Increases transparency by making historical data on visa processing wait times available to the public
Allows Customs and Border Protection to add foreign nationals to Global Entry after it has signed a bilateral agreement with their government
Sets a goal to conduct 80% of all nonimmigrant visa interviews within 15 business days of requesting an appointment.
More Rental Operations

Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
U-Save Continues Dominican Republic Expansion with Launch in Punta Cana
The new franchise location builds on U-Save’s existing Santo Domingo operation and will begin taking reservations for October 2026.
Read More →
When AI Books the Rental Car, Who Controls the Sale?
As AI moves from comparing rental rates to completing transactions, operators need to understand how travelers find, interpret, rank, and ultimately see their offers. (Part 2 of 2.)
Read More →
European Booked Car Rental Rates Fell 5%, Results Varied by Country
Ireland, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom saw steep declines, while booked rates rose in Poland and Hungary.
Read More →Is It Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
As traditional economy and compact cars disappear from the market, longtime rental operator Mike DeLorenzo asks whether the industry’s familiar vehicle categories still make sense — and what operators need to rethink along with them.
Read More →
Who Owns the Rate? AI Is Creating a New Distribution Problem for Car Rental
Generative Engine Optimization asks whether AI can find a rental company, but operators also need to know whether the agent inspected enough of the market, compared equivalent offers, and presented a rate the traveler can actually book. (Part 1 of 2)
Read More →
U.S. Business Travel Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise Up to 2%
Improved fleet supply should limit pricing gains in 2026-27, while insurance, repair costs, and softer residual values continue to pressure rental operations, according to Amex GBT.
Read More →
Sixt Revenue Tops $2.4 Billion in First Half of 2026
Sixt’s first-half revenue surpassed $2.4 billion for the first time as demand outpaced fleet growth, lifting utilization and earnings despite weaker consumer sentiment in North America.
Read More →
In Memoriam: Bobby Klyce, Avis Licensee Legend
The longtime Birmingham Avis operator and 2018 Auto Rental News Impact Award recipient was remembered as an advocate for independent licensees and the broader car rental industry.
Read More →How to Build Custom Fleet Tools With AI and Vibe Coding [Webinar]
A new Automotive Fleet webinar explores how fleet managers are using AI and vibe coding to automate routine work and create simple operational tools without traditional programming skills.
Read More →
