Rental Car Toll Technology Gets UpgradeThe supplier of electronic toll payment devices to the Avis Budget Car Rental has upgraded its tool to allow rental agencies to quickly implement the technology for its customers, the company announced this month. Highway Toll Administration, based in Great Neck, N.Y., released on July 5 a new version of its toll technology that includes a program designed to give fast implementation for rental car companies. Both Avis Rent A Car and Budget Rent A Car partnered with HTA to begin offering toll-paying technology to customers in New York last April and since have worked on expanding the program throughout the Northeast and to Illinois and Florida
(BTN, March 20). The number of tolls paid by rental customers using HTA devices recently surpassed one million, according to Highway Toll Administration. Toll technology is particularly useful to business travelers, not only because it saves them the time of waiting in line to pay a toll, but also because it allows for a one-source record of reporting toll expenses rather than relying on receipts for each payment. Rental car suppliers also like the technology because it saves them from tracking down customers who had run through tolls, leaving them with the expense. Avis and Budget have an agreement with another company to provide toll technology in Houston. Toll technology company Rent A Toll Ltd. and urban planning specialist HNTB Corp. also are working together to find new rental car toll solutions
(BTN, June 19).Budget, Dollar Partner With AirlinesTwo rental car suppliers are offering new rewards programs in conjunction with airlines' frequent traveler program. Budget Rent A Car System announced in late June that it had formed a new alliance with US Airways, although corporate customers will not benefit as much as commercial customers. US Airways Dividend Miles members now can earn miles when they rent from participating Budget locations. Those renting cars with corporate or government rates will earn one mile per rental dollar, while those on the standard rates will earn two miles per dollar. The alliance also will offer savings and discounts on Budget rentals. Dollar Rent A Car, meanwhile, is offering 500 bonus miles through American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and the Dividend Miles program with car rentals in Florida. That program will expire Aug. 14.
Carey Defends Brand W/New Web AddressGround transportation and chauffeured services provider Carey International has laid claim to the Web address www.carey.com as part of an ongoing effort to defend its brand, the company announced last month. Carey said one reason was that the new site would be easier to remember than its former site, www.ecarey.com, but the change also came in conjunction with an agreement with security provider Cyveillance to further defend against brand dilution tactics such as fraudulent search engine marketing and Internet traffic diversion. The new site will help prevent non-affiliated transportation suppliers from using the Carey name to market to customers. "Online brand abuse costs American companies billions of dollars each year," Carey president and CEO Devin Murphy said in a prepared statement. "Consumers are familiar with news about data security breaches and identity theft but may not be aware that unscrupulous online marketers may represent themselves as something they are not." Along with the new Web site, company e-mail addresses also will convert to the "@carey.com" tag.
Enterprise Eases Commission ProcessEnterprise Rent-A-Car has upgraded its Web site for travel agents to allow them to set rates and commission structure while simplifying the rental process for customers, the company announced recently. The site will allow for commission rates on a customer-by-customer basis and also will list all rental costs, including taxes, at the front end of the booking process.