Yes, the situation has officially reached Code Red. But in the disruption lies opportunity for car rental operators willing to adjust their plans.
As disruptions continue to rock vehicle and parts production, fleets should plan for limited fleet supply and cost increases in the near term. But there are things they can do now to mitigate the situation.
With vehicle supply constraints and inflated prices now forecast through 2023, fleet operators are adjusting their duty cycles, fleet plans, and job management.
Interacting with attendees at the 2021 International Car Rental Show, it’s clear that car rental is the most resilient sector in travel. That resiliency will again be tested on the road ahead.
Sixt issued a forecast for the full year for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic, but the forecast was conditioned on assumptions that the COVID-19 pandemic stays in check, that price levels remain high, and that vehicle supply shortages won’t worsen.
You could say the all-new Maverick’s hybrid engine, unibody frame, and 4.5-foot bed make it a niche truck. But in the post-pandemic era of efficiencies and economics, fleets must apply a Swiss Army knife-like approach to job applications.
Multiple external disruptions have impacted the car rental industry in the last 25 years. Each time, the industry has convened at the International Car Rental Show to figure it all out and bounce back stronger than ever.
With cumbersome aftermarket device installations and lack of integration with car rental software, telematics hasn’t been easy for car rental. RentalMatic’s Thomas Brady outlines how and where this is changing.
The answers will dictate site design, energy management considerations, software needs, home charging requirements, and fleet policy updates. Without the proper attention, fleet operators face ballooning and unexpected costs.
Pat Notti, VP of Getaround’s Marketplace and Operations, answers questions on the Power Host Program, including how hosts are managing parking, insurance, vehicle supply, and the depreciation curve, as well as the attributes that make a successful power host.
For April, Manheim’s rental risk unit share fell to the lowest level since 2002. Rental car companies are net buyers, not sellers, of wholesale used vehicles right now, says Cox Automotive’s Jonathan Smoke.
Monthly and year-to-date comparisons of rental fleet sales to pre-pandemic periods in 2019 show unprecedented declines.
Partnership with CarTrawler allows major car rental companies to rent their cars through the Uber mobile app, with a valet delivery and pickup option managed by Uber.
The virtual conference presented deep dives on how data is fostering intelligent fleets. The seminars, panel discussions, and networking sessions covered connected cars, electrification suitability, OEM-embedded modems, telematics market trends, the rise of third-party data integrators, the migration to 5G, and video telematics.
At the recent Geotab Extend virtual event, Geotab’s Fabian Seithel and Tim Ruhoff of Fleetster discussed how keyless technology combined with telematics is facilitating in-vehicle deliveries, more automated pickup and return processes, and private carsharing trips with business cars.
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