Since first filing the proposal at a Boston city council meeting in August, Councilmember Rob Consalvo worked with the Boston Police Department (BPD) and the city’s major car rental companies on creating a rule that requires the companies to report customer names to the city’s Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV). By doing so, the drivers’ names will be immediately accessible and pulled up when the rented vehicle’s license plate is scanned instead of just the auto rental company’s name.

“Currently, rental cars are being rented in the city of Boston specifically to be used in committing illegal activities such as drug dealing, shootings, gangs-related acitivity and prostitution in part because the name of the renter of the vehicle is hard to trace quickly,” said Consalvo’s press release on the rule that become effective Dec. 21. 

“I would like to thank Councilor Consalvo for his leadership on this issue and efforts to assist the BPD in solving this problem,” said BPD Commissioner Ed Davis. “The BPD is also appreciative to the rental car companies for working in a cooperative manner to improve investigations and ultimately public safety in Boston.”

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