Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

DTG Closes Okmulgee Reservations Center

TULSA, Okla. -- Citing an increase in online reservations, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. announced plans to close its reservations center in Okmulgee, Okla. The company said it will try t...

by Staff
July 16, 2003
2 min to read


TULSA, Okla. -- Citing an increase in online reservations, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. announced plans to close its reservations center in Okmulgee, Okla. The company said it will try to relocate as many employees there as possible to reservation centers in Tulsa and Tahlequah, Okla.

The Okmulgee facility, which opened in 1998, currently has just under 80 employees, including hourly and salaried staff. DTG officials met with the Okmulgee employees Wednesday to announce the closing and to provide job transfer, job search and benefit information. Company officials said the facility will close Sept. 18.

Ad Loading...

"Closure of a facility is always a painful process. However, we realize that the world changes," said Don Himelfarb, DTG's president and chief operating officer for marketing, franchising and administration. "A successful business strategy dictates that we, too, must change, or get left behind. The good news is that we are redeploying our assets in Oklahoma, which, over time, will result in new jobs either in Tulsa or Tahlequah."

Himelfarb emphasized that the closure of the Okmulgee facility is not DTG's reaction to a difficult market environment or a distressed financial condition. "This is a singular proactive decision to ensure our company remains the best performer in our industry and is limited to our Okmulgee telephone operations center," Himelfarb said.

DTG has 1,500 of its over 6,000 worldwide employees based in Oklahoma. Of the publicly held companies based in Oklahoma, DTG ranks as one the top 10 employers in the state.

"The Okmulgee Thrifty Reservations Center and its employees have been valuable assets to us over the past five years," Himelfarb said. "Unfortunately, the telephone operations center there is no longer necessary due to the enormous amount of reservations that now are personally booked by travelers using the Internet."

During 2002, 45% of all rental car reservations made with DTG's brands, Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental, were generated via the Internet. Those reservations were booked through the company's own Web sites, dollar.com and thrifty.com, as well as other popular travel sites including Expedia, Travelocity, Southwest Airlines and Orbitz.

Ad Loading...

"Overall, our Internet reservations grew by 46% during 2002," Himelfarb said, "and we expect that trend to continue."



More Rental Operations

plane, palm trees, car rental sign
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownSeptember 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 Operationsby StaffSeptember 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 →
A traveler searches for rental cars with an AI bot
Rental OperationsSeptember 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...
map of europe and summer car rental rates
Rental OperationsSeptember 11, 2026

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 →
thumbnail of Chris Brown and Mike DeLorenzo with title Time to Rethink Rental Categories?
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownSeptember 8, 2026

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 →
Woman receiving car rental rates on computer from AI agent
Rental OperationsSeptember 1, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...
map of globe with regional corporate car rental rates
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 25, 2026

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 H1 financial results
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 14, 2026

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 →
Bobby Klyce in memoriam image
Rental Operationsby Chris BrownAugust 13, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...
Vibe coding webinar promo image
Rental Operationsby StaffAugust 12, 2026

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 →
Ad Loading...