Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Online Bidding for Rentals Begin in May

Budget Rent a Car Corp. announced the first online car rental bidding system, BidBudget. Consumers can still rent vehicles using the company's website, but now they can place a bid for a desired...

by Staff
May 3, 1999
1 min to read


Budget Rent a Car Corp. announced the first online car rental bidding system, BidBudget. Consumers can still rent vehicles using the company's website, but now they can place a bid for a desired type of vehicle and request a specific price.

According to Susan Welty, director of public relations for Budget Rent a Car Corp., Budget's revenue management team is responsible for setting the floors for bids at all Budget locations. BidBudget also uses a yield management system to help in the evaluation process of fleet availability as well as rental rates. This system works in tandem with Budget's reservation system and both are tied into the Internet.

Ad Loading...

A response from Budget regarding whether or not a bid is accepted is emailed to the consumer within 24 hours.

BidBudget was designed to attract more customers, especially Internet savvy leisure travelers. It was also created to increase rentals, utilization and drive more business to the company's website. Welty says, "BidBudget is good because it gives consumers more control."

Welty also explains that the project is highly leisure travel oriented. She says, "BidBudget is geared for the consumer who has the time to use this and book a reservation well in advance."

More Rental Operations

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

U.S. Rental Length Declines Slightly in Q1 2026, Enterprise Reports

LOR 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 →
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...
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 →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Photo of CEO Krešimir Dobrilović against a gray modernist crooked-tile mural display.

Carwiz Opens Car Rental Service In Panama

A Carwiz partner in Puerto Rico is taking on the Panama franchise with operations in the nation's largest airport.

Read More →
A world map with Flexways logo and new locations headline.

Flexways Opens 10 Locations Among Franchise, Affiliate Rental Networks

The integrated business model combines each operator’s local expertise with international standards to boost sales.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of a suitcase, passport, and smartphone.

Traveler Customer Satisfaction Up This Year Data Study Shows

The study looks at customer analytics to size up performance in car rentals, rideshare, airlines, lodging, and OTAs.

Read More →
Ad Loading...