Top 10 Auto Rental Headlines in 2011
A quick review of the top 10 read stories on Auto Rental News.
The close merger between Hertz and Dollar Thrifty took several of the top spots in 2011 at Auto Rental News. Here are the top 10 news articles, blog posts and magazine features listed by date:
Jan. 19, 2011 - CBS Consumer Correspondent Susan Koeppen rented a 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt from Avis that was part of a recall for a steering problem and had never been repaired.
Auto Rental Operators Choose Favorite Rental Car of All Time
Jan. 24, 2011 - Auto Rental News surveyed owners and managers of auto rental companies to determine their "favorite rental car of all time." Survey respondents were asked to judge 35 model choices on price, functionality, reliability, safety, customer experience, maintenance, acquisition costs, resale value and overall return on investment.
How to Acquire an Auto Rental Company
February 2011 - Are you ready to expand? Buying out or merging with another rental company can be a quicker path to new revenue than opening up a brand new store—if you can avoid the pitfalls going in.
Enterprise Speaker Stresses Operating Sustainably at 2011 Car Rental Show
March 9, 2011 - Lee Broughton, head of corporate sustainability for Enterprise Holdings and one of the keynote speakers at the 2011 Car Rental Show in Las Vegas, encouraged car rental companies to focus on the "triple bottom line" - economic, social and environmental sustainability - while also challenging the industry to start offering more fuel-efficient rental options as well as opportunities to offset carbon emissions associated with rentals.
Enterprise Employees Strike in Toronto
March 30, 2011 - Ninety-three mployees of Enterprise Holdings at Toronto Pearson International Airport went on strike to protest proposed cuts in wages and benefits.
July 27, 2011 - Between Hertz’s purchase of a major leasing company and Avis Budget Group’s bid for Avis Europe, it’s time reassess the merger landscape.
Avis Budget Drops Bid for Dollar Thrifty
Sept. 14, 2011 - In a regulatory filing today, Avis Budget Group Inc. said it is dropping its bid for Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group because of “current market conditions.
Digging Deeper into the Acquisition War
Sept. 14, 2011 - What made Avis decide to publicly announce dropping its bid for Dollar Thrifty?
Hertz Withdraws Offer to Acquire Dollar Thrifty
Oct. 27, 2011 - Hertz Global Holdings Inc. announced Oct. 27 that it is withdrawing its exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group Inc. (DTG), according to an investor relations press release.
U.S. Car Rental Market Statistics Released for 2011
Nov. 30, 2011 - Auto Rental News has released its annual assessment of the U.S. car rental market, with updates on revenue, locations and cars in service by company.
More Rental Operations
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.
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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.
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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.)
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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.
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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.
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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)
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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