Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Budget Reports Pre-tax Loss of $89.4 Million for First Quarter 2001

Budget Group Inc. reported a pre-tax loss of $89.4 million for the first quarter of 2001. In comparison, the company's pre-tax loss for the first quarter of 2000 was $55.2 million. Budget attrib...

by Staff
April 30, 2001
1 min to read


Budget Group Inc. reported a pre-tax loss of $89.4 million for the first quarter of 2001. In comparison, the company's pre-tax loss for the first quarter of 2000 was $55.2 million. Budget attributed one-third of the first-quarter loss to the reorganization of its European operations.

"We are on target in the execution of our European refranchising strategy that will return our international segment to profitability," said Sandy Miller, Budget Group chairman and CEO. "Domestic car and truck operations during the quarter performed to plan as cost reduction initiatives, and asset utilization efforts helped reduce the impact of the slowing U.S. economy on our business. We are pleased with the progress in our truck rental operations and the significant improvements in utilization and operating margin."

Ad Loading...

Domestic car rental utilization jumped 180 points to 84.4%. But, as expected, the depressed industry pricing environment drove domestic car rental revenue per day down 2.7%, compared to the first quarter in 2000 when rates were up more than 4%.

Truck rental operating margins improved by 120 basis points over the previous year. Truck utilization increased 390 basis points, and revenue per unit increased 5.6% as efforts to reduce truck fleet brought average fleet for the quarter down 11.3% to 40,358 units.

More Rental Operations

Two execs hold up a sign with Southwest and CarTrawler logos

Southwest Airlines Selects CarTrawler For Its Car Rental Booking Platform

The platform is designed to allow customers to compare and book rental vehicles more easily during the travel booking process.

Read More →
Speaker John Healy on stage with a podium, screen, and red curtains in the background.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueMay 27, 2026

Cross-Pressures, Evolving Trends Drive 2026 Rental Car Industry

A combination of cautious economic behavior, shifts in the rental vehicle market, and technological influences are shaping car rental operator decisions.

Read More →
Award winner on stage with presenters in front of yellow curtain.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueMay 27, 2026

Government Affairs Executive Wins Leading Rental Car Industry Award

Robert Muhs started in the car rental industry with Avis Budget Group two years before the first International Car Rental Show.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
The rental car team at the Green Motion franchise office near the Maputo International Airport in Mozambique.

Green Motion Expands Its African Presence with Mozambique Launch

This new rental car outlet reflects the growing demand for reliable transportation and the emphasis on sustainable travel across the continent.

Read More →
Photos of CEOs Colm Brady and Francois Kruger on a blue background and above a headline.
Telematicsby News/Media ReleaseMay 22, 2026

RentalMatics, GeoInt Partner On Rental Car Speed Tracking Tech

Rental operators can now detect and act on speeding while vehicles are still on rent, thereby reducing fines, admin workload, vehicle wear, and safety risks.

Read More →
NextPass 407 ETR

NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto

Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A black Jeep is displayed at the Zubie-Bosch-TSD exhibit during the International Car Rental Show.

Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics

The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.

Read More →
50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026

LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...