Related: Surviving the Polar Vortex
Tales of the Polar Vortex: Part II
While most residents opted to stay home and wait out the frigid temperatures and strong winds, employees at Avis Budget Fargo braved the storm.

Dustin Laniel, a service agent at Avis Budget Fargo and diehard Georgia Bulldogs football fan, stands on the rental lot at Hector Int’l Airport in Fargo. Laniel regularly braves below-freezing temperatures to service vehicles - often in only a sweatshirt and beanie.
Photo courtesy of CRX Group.
Recent storms that hit the Midwest plunged Fargo, N.D., to -50 degrees. But while most residents opted to stay home and wade out the frigid temperatures and strong winds, employees at thus Avis franchise braved the storm.
The Avis location at the Fargo airport still had arriving and departing passengers to serve and local dealerships and mechanics that needed replacement vehicles for customers whose vehicles were in for maintenance. Other Fargo residents needed rental vehicles following accidents, or when their vehicles wouldn't start because of the cold weather.
"Luckily, we have veteran employees who understand winter in car rental world is a little different from normal people winter," Dani Arnold, vice president of Avis Budget Fargo, wrote in an email.
She said employees spent a lot of time jumping vehicle and digging them out of snowbanks. Employees even advised and cautioned customers who considered taking back roads after highway closure in order to ensure their safety.
"Our employees were amazing and went to great lengths to make sure our customers were taken care of," Arnold said. "They made sure to start customer vehicles before arrival to give them warm cars to get in to. They met late night flights during a blizzard when the flights had supposedly been canceled, but still somehow managed to land. They cleaned and shuttled vehicles in -50 degree weather with whipping wind and blowing snow."
Arnold said she is proud of how her employees handled the polar vortex, continually working to ensure customer safety and satisfaction.
More Rental Operations

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 →
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 →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 →
Car Rental Rates Forecast to Rise 3.6% in 2026 Before Easing in 2027
Car rental rates are projected to rise less than airfares and hotel rates in 2026, then become the only major travel category forecast to decline in 2027, according to projections from GBTA and ALTOUR.
Read More →
Avis Cuts Fleet as Summer Demand Trails Expectations
Avis Budget Group increased second-quarter earnings despite lower Americas revenue and softer-than-expected summer demand. The company also expanded Avis First and advanced its autonomous fleet operations with Waymo.
Read More →
Why Bookings Are Only the Start of the Rental Day
A reservation captures demand. The operating test is whether the business can keep the customer, vehicle, commercial terms, and next action aligned until the rental is closed.
Read More →
This Is the Oldest Car Rental Advertisement You’ll Ever See
This ad for Saunders Drive it Yourself, believed to be the first car rental company in the U.S., was found in an Omaha phone book from 1926.
Read More →
The Desk Upsell Is Costing Operators More Than it Earns
Counter upsells generate revenue, but they can also slow transactions, erode trust, and cost repeat business. Fully inclusive pricing may offer operators a better path to long-term value.
Read More →
U-Save Expands Indian Ocean Presence with New Master Franchise for Mauritius
The franchise has been acquired by Mauritian travel entrepreneur Umarfarooq Omarjee, an established figure in the island's tourism and mobility sector.
Read More →
Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030
A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.
Read More →
