A tax of up to $5 a day on car rentals will help pay for a consolidated rental car facility serving the Honolulu International Airport, according to the Honolulu Advertiser.

The facility is expected to house six current airport rental car providers as well as other rental car agencies now near the airport. The new rental car facility could open sometime in 2013, depending on when construction begins.

Co-locating in one building should improve the car renting experience for Honolulu visitors, who currently deal with crowded shuttle buses, airport traffic congestion and, once they arrive at the rental car lot, are exposed to sun and rain, said Aaron Medina, president of Catrala-Hawaii, a car and truck rental association who is general manager for Hertz in Hawaii.

As of October, the state had raised nearly $12 million from a $1-a-car daily fee that took effect in September 2008. Lawmakers passed the surcharge to pay for design and construction of consolidated rental vehicle facilities statewide.

The $1-a-car fee was expected to raise $16 million a year. Actual collections were lower because of a decline in visitors.

The Avis, National, Budget, Hertz and Dollar agencies currently share an open-air lot at one end of Honolulu International Airport.