Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Avis CEO Ferraro Talks Pandemic Pivot on CNBC

In an interview with CNBC, Avis Budget Group’s CEO Joe Ferraro was asked about how the company transitioned into the coronavirus environment and how the Hertz bankruptcy might affect Avis.

July 10, 2020
Avis CEO Ferraro Talks Pandemic Pivot on CNBC

“We're good at teaching people how to do customer service ..." he said. “But when it comes to fighting disease infection, we need help.”

Screengrab from CNBC. 

2 min to read


Avis Budget Group’s new CEO Joe Ferraro, appointed June 15, sat down for an interview with Melissa Lee on CNBC’s Power Lunch on Thursday. Lee first asked Ferraro about what Avis has done to right size its business to meet today’s market.

Ferraro said the company’s response was three-pronged: The first was to provide a safe environment for employees and customers. The second was liquidity, which Ferraro said the company is set for the coming year. The third was making sure the fleet matched the revenue environment.

Ad Loading...

Ferraro preferred to concentrate on the first point. He talked about the vehicle disinfecting initiative with Lysol, as well as the need to retrain internally.

Ferraro said a five-panel group of medical professionals led by Dr. Olajide Williams, the head of Neurology at Columbia University, gave Avis protocols on how to deal with behavioral change for employees regarding social distancing, cleanliness, and using proper personal protective equipment.

The initiative includes incorporating training materials from a company called Hip Hop Public Health.

“We're good at teaching people how to do customer service and manage the daily rigors of the rental business or fix a car,” he said. “But when it comes to fighting disease infection, we need help.”

When Lee then asked him about stock performance and how the Hertz bankruptcy might impact Avis, Ferraro largely sidestepped the question.

Ad Loading...

He said the company was on track for a potentially record year, up 15% in the month of February in the Americas, and then the pandemic hit.

“I'm proud of how we reacted and went about right sizing our business and getting ready for the uncertainty,” Ferraro said. “We have a plan in place that gets that gets us to where we can start seeing the light at the end of this tunnel, as difficult as the environment may be.”

More Rental Operations

thumbnail what does it take to succeed in b2b rentals
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?

The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.

Read More →
Photo of Ana Laborde and world map
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 12, 2026

NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings

With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.

Read More →
Rental car agent shows woman her choice of rental car
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•October 7, 2026

Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study

While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
an exotic car wrapped in an insurance policy
Rental Operations•October 1, 2026

The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals

Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.

Read More →
globe of world and drivers license from UK
Rental Operations•September 28, 2026

The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?

For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.

Read More →
Scenes from Car Rental Shows past
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 23, 2026

ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers

The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
hand holding phone and Turo logo
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 21, 2026

Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service

Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.

Read More →
plane, palm trees, car rental sign
Rental Operations•by Chris Brown•September 15, 2026

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 →
Team members of U-Save's new franchise
Rental Operations•by Staff•September 15, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...
A traveler searches for rental cars with an AI bot
Rental Operations•September 14, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...