usrentacar.co.uk® Car Hire USA Blog

Hi all,

If you’re a new car hire USA supplier getting your vehicles on airport at such locations as Orlando and Sanford Airport is not only expensive but near on impossible as spaces rarely become available.

On the 16th January 2012 Sixt Rent A Car, a large player in the European Market, opened up a local office to serve Orlando International Airport. The new location, which is situated in close proximity to the major transport hub, will also offer a free 24 hour shuttle to and from the two airport terminals to assist customers in reaching the conveniently located branch with ease. The total journey from Airport to location is approximately 7 mins (source = google maps).

Now one of the unique selling points of established suppliers in Florida is the fact their hire cars are on on airport, customers have generally be travelling for over 9 hours when they hit Orlando and so he last thing they want to do it travel again.

Last night I asked our facebook friends this question - Would you consider taking a shuttle bus for a cheaper car hire rate?

Granted we didn’t give our other facebook friends very long to comment, however I think the above couple of answers are possibly a typical response.

So how do car rental companies successfully operate off airport; here are a couple of ideas.

• Offer lower rates, I’m not sure 20-30% is possible as suggested above, but you have to be cheaper than the on airport suppliers.
• Offer a diverse fleet, I don’t think you can compete with the airport suppliers head on however offering prestige vehicles and American Muscle cars could be a way of enticing customers to your service.
• Offer amazing customer services, from the shuttle bus driver to the person at the car hire location, you must be at least 10% better than the on airport suppliers.
• The most important, be fast; queues at Orlando International Airport can sometimes keep you from the road for a good hour. Your shuttle buses must be regular, and the pick up process must be fast. The total process must be under 12 mins.

What do you think about off airport collections?

regards,

James

Hi all,

Here at usrentacar.co.uk we like to stay on the cutting edge of social media, so today we will begin to trial the use of Pinterest.

Pinterest is a new social website based around the “pinning” of images and items of interest to your own custom notice board.

Although Pinterest is still in beta (invitation only) it has already exceeded 6 Million users.

We will use our pinterest account to “pin” items we think will be of interest; including pictures of car’s collected by our customers, great theme park info or pic’s and anything we think is inspiring or just cool.

You can follow us on Pinterest at http://pinterest.com/usrentacar/ (follow us and we’ll follow back).

If you haven’t got a pinterest account yet we will send invitation to the first 50 users to either post their booking reference number below or on our facebook account, or email me at jamest@usrentacar.co.uk.

regards,

James,

Hi all,

Hot off the press (our guys have just finished loading the rates!), we have just been given some discounted prices for new pick up’s with Alamo Rent A Car between the 25/01/12 and the 31/03/12 on every car group in Florida. ***Hooray***.

Both our inclusive and gold rates have been lowered by around 5% offering even greater value for your fully inclusive Florida car hire.

You can book via our website – usrentacar.co.uk or call our reservations department on 0845 226 8523.

I hope some of you can take advantage of these great low rates.

regards,

James

Hi all,

Today we are happy to announce we have signed an exclusive deal to offer our customers heading to California the opportunity to purchase SeaWorld Tickets for its amazing park in San Diego.

usrentacar.co.uk can now offer a 7 day admission ticket for the price you would usually pay for a 1 day ticket!!!

Highlights of SeaWorld San Diego include;

• One Ocean – Dive into One Ocean, the all new energetic and exciting Shamu show, set to inspire and educate. Dancing fountains set the stage as you connect with these remarkable animals and learn about the importance of protecting the ocean, and the sea creatures within it.
• Blue Horizons – See a mystical daydream with acrobatic dolphins and whales, leaping water, soaring birds and spirited performers come to life in a vivid, theatrical experience only SeaWorld® could create.
• Journey to Atlantis® -  Taking excitement to new heights by riding Journey to Atlantis! Twist around serpentine turns, plunge down an eight-storey rush of adrenaline-pumping exhilaration and get drenched in mystery!
• Wild Arctic® -  Plunge into the frozen north on a virtual jetcopter ride to the Wild Arctic. Witness a beluga whale surface. Make faces with a walrus. Get close to growling polar bears. See all the breathtaking discoveries of a polar expedition — without the frostbite!
• Sea Lions Live – Here you’ll find the comedy Sea Lion duo,Clydeand Seamore and OP Otter. During the show they’ll perform their own hilarious versions of today’s most popular TV, film and music shows! Including Sea Lions S.I and Sea Lion Idol!
• Shipwreck Rapids® – Take the ride of your life on Shipwreck Rapids®. This will take you on a ride around a tropical island will send you twisting and turning through watery bends, dodging dripping buckets and roaring waterfalls!
• Sesame Street® Bay of Play- Come and play with your favorite Sesame Street characters. The Sesame Street Bay of Play is a two-acre play area with family-friendly rides, character appearances and plenty of new ways to play. Soar into the sky on Elmo’s Flying Fish ride. Wiggle with the giggles on Oscar’s Rocking Eel. Twirl and whirl on Abby’s Sea Star Spin. And get your picture taken with Elmo or Big Bird. There’s only one place to laugh, soar and spin and it’s at Sesame Street Bay of Play, at SeaWorld San Diego!

How to book?

You can either call us on 0845 226 8523 and we can add it to your booking or you can add them to your rental at the time of booking.

regards,

James

Hi all,

usrentacar.co.uk has always been at the cutting edge of social technology and were the first car hire company to implement the facebook like button in to its search results and the share option in to static pages.

We are always keen to share and here from current and potential customers, below is a quick list of ways to connect with usrentacar.co.uk socially.

Facebook - facebook.com/usrentacar.co.uk

Google + - plus.google.com/b/113288669932556995197/

Twitter – twitter.com/usrentacar

Twitter - twitter.com/orlando_tix

YouTube - www.youtube.com/user/orlandotix

So feel free to join in the fun… the facebook page is run by myself so I’d love to chat and discuss all things USA.

regards,

James

Hi all,

For a lot of people hiring a Ford Mustang in Florida would be a dream come true, however reality can sometimes be a pain, none of the car hire USA suppliers; Alamo, Budget or Dollar will guarantee you a make or model and will always state or similar.

So I thought it might be a good idea to go through some of the information we have regarding vehicle types being collected by our customers and see which Florida locations offered the best chance of collecting a Ford Mustang.

Orlando International Airport

Alamo Rent A Car –  6/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Budget Rent A Car – 8/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Dollar Rent A Car – 10/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Sanford International Airport

Alamo Rent A Car –  5/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Budget Rent A Car – 6/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Dollar Rent A Car – 9/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Miami International Airport

Alamo Rent A Car – 8/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Budget Rent A Car – 6/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Dollar Rent A Car – 9/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Tampa International Airport

Alamo Rent A Car – 7/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Budget Rent A Car – 8/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

Dollar Rent A Car – 10/10 of the last Convertibles collected were Ford Mustang’s.

The information above is based on the last 10 reviews received for each supplier for the specific location stated above; where the customer has categorically stated they had received a Ford Mustang and where the customer has booked from our Convertible category. The information provided above does not guarantee make or model from any of our suppliers.

As you can see from above, Dollar Rent A Car seems to be the best bet for you Mustang lovers out there and could be the main reason why they sell out so quickly. Remember your hire car can be reserved with just a £50 deposit with the balance due 8 weeks prior to departure.

regards,

James

Hi all,

Car Hire USA is notorious for being slow to grasp new technologies, the companies involved are generally huge behemoths, who although cash rich and powerful aren’t particularly flexible and fast moving with tiers and tiers of red tape to go through.

Luckily though the car manufactures are quite a bit quicker.  A report by KPMG interviewed 200 leading car manufacture bosses to see what the future holds for our vehicles.

The result a unanimous agreement that voice recognition and internet connected vehicles would be the norm with WIFI and 3G capabilities.

The industry believes that big firms like google, apple and Microsoft will beginning to strike deals with manufactures as they look to get a foot hold on this Billion Dollar industry.

John Leech from KPMG says some car manufacturers are already making “connected” cars.

“The recent collaboration between Toyota and Intel was announced at the end of last year,”

he said.

“Intel claims that the connected car is the third-fastest growing technological device, following smartphones and tablets. For a car maker that offers huge potential.”

Chevy’s Super Bowl commercial this year for it’s new Cruze model which includes facebook integration gives a little hint at the possibilities.

What would you use internet access in your car for?

regards,

James

Hi all,

Here at usrentacar.co.uk we were the first car hire company to ask and provide real car hire USA reviews from our customers.

After the car rental has been returned we ask our customer a series of questions which the customer marks out 5, these questions cover the pick up service, the drop off service and value for money. These scores are added together to create a percentage score.

Below are a selection of 100% reviews supplied this year (2012).

Alamo Rent A Car

Mr D Baines 100% review.

Very helpful Alamo staff including shuttle driver who helped put cases in hire car and gave us directions.. We were upgraded for free! Smiles all round!!

Budget Rent A Car

Mr D Boyle 100% review.

usrentacar.co.uk has always provided me with excellent service and good value over the years that I have been visiting Florida. I can recommend them without reservation.

Mr D Stanley 100% review.

I specifically wanted a Mustang as every time I”ve rented in the past, we”ve ended up with a Sebring because of the ”Mustang or similar” statement. Through Budget via US Rent A Car, I had my Mustang this time and an excellent car it was too.

Dollar Rent A Car 

Mr R Potts 100% review.

The rental process was so easypeasy. The Dollar representative who took my details was excellent, efficient and full of enthusiasm for his job and the on airport facility had me heading down the interstate highway from Tampa very quickly. The hire vehicle was very clean and fresh inside and out and prepaired to a high standard and full of fuel and ready to go. Upon return the Dollar agents have you on your way to the airport terminal as easy as 1 2 3 with a “Thank you sir enjoy your trip, your on your way”. Another “Absolutly Fabulous” Car Hire from “usrentacar.co.uk”.

Mr S Harding 100% review.

IN THE PAST WE HAVE ALWAYS FLOWN INTO TO ORLANDO AIRPORT AND HAVE FOUND THE DOLLAR STAFF ON THE RENTAL DESK TO BE VERY RUDE. THIS TRIP WE LANDED IN TAMPA AIRPORT. THE STAFF ON THE DOLLAR DESK AND IN THE GARAGE GAVE US EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A VERY LONG WHILE OUR RENTAL CAR LASTED US THE ENTIRE FIVE WEEK RENTAL!!!!(IT DIDN”T NEED TO BE RETURNED FOR A SERVICE)

Mrs E Byers 100% review.

Small SUV unavailable so given an upgrade and really enjoyed the car – just a bit thirsty on the gas. Customer service from Sam was great. No problems and would definitely use this company again.

Some great positive comments to start 2012 and we hope this continues. Remember you can also leave a review via our iPhone and Android app’s available at the app store and android market, search “usrentacar”.

regards,

James

Hi all,

This is no secret… but the USA is massive… even just to pop out, the preferred mode of transport is the car.  A great indicator is to note that all shops and restaurant regardless of size have large car parks; basically you’re going to need to drive places.

I appreciate that driving abroad can be viewed as a scary experience but honestly driving in the USA couldn’t be easier, speed limits are lower which although you might find frustrating coming from the rush, rush of the UK actually makes for a lot calmer and more courteous driving experience.

Now obviously things are different, they drive on the “wrong side” of the road for starters and most of the car hire USA suppliers vehicles will be automatic. I thought is might be handy to list some of the major differences and perhaps give some advice on making you car rental experience as relaxing as possible.

Location, Location, Location

Your first piece of driving will probably be from the airport to your hotel or villa, already knowing the basic route to your accommodation is a must, the last thing you need is your stress levels to be raised by driving “blind”. Google maps is a great tool for plotting your route, failing that you can prepay in theUK for a GPS system to guide you.

Tip, do a couple of laps of the car park where possible to get use to the vehicle.

Who moved the stick?

So as mentioned before you will mostly likely be driving an automatic vehicle, if you’ve never driven an automatic its very much like driving a giant go-kart.

Most automatics will have the following options

• P meaning Park
• R meaning Reverse
• N meaning Neutral
• D meaning Drive
• 1 first gear
• 2 second gear.

Remember an automatic vehicle is driven with one foot (your right) many automatic virgins assume you use the left foot for the break and the right foot for the accelerator, this isn’t the case. Using your left foot for the break will possible result in whiplash for you and your passengers.

Rules of the road

Obviously every Country has its own rules of the road and many differ from ours, here are a few examples.

• They drive on the right hand side.
• The drink driving laws are very strict, as a rule of thumb; don’t drink and drive. You will spend a night in the cells if caught.
• Right turn on a red, I know this goes against your natural driving instinct but if it is safe to do so, you can turn right if the traffic lights are red.
• When parking in a space remember to drive in with your boot facing out, it is not illegal to only have a licence plate at the back of the car.
• They take their public services very seriously so, don’t park within 10ft of a Fire Hydrant, you must also change lanes (where possible) if a police vehicle is parked along side the road, if this isn’t possible you must reduce your speed to 20mph.
• On the same note; do not park in front of red or yellow painted curbs, these area’s are strictly for emergency vehicles.

I think that about covers it, remember driving in theUSAis easy don’t stress about it you’ll be fine, just because you’re in another Country doesn’t mean you’ve forgotten how to drive

Have I missed anything you think could help virgin USA drivers?

regards,

James

Hi all,

Happy New Year… I hope 2012 brings you much joy and happiness. A few days off has me feeling refreshed and ready for what we hope is a busy 2012. 

Today’s post is about what you can expect from usrentacar.co.uk in 2012.

Re-design

It’s probably about half a year late, but we are in the process of coming up with new concepts for usrentacar.co.uk. The site is still fresh and relevant compared to other car hire USA sites however we like to be at the forefront and a new design will again do that.

We are hoping for a launch in quarter 2, we are also looking to replace some of the existing functionality and the key brief is truly less is more… I’m hoping I can convince the guys that the blog could also do with a little TLC.

Tickets

Last year we became the first car rental company to sign exclusive reseller deals with SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Universal Orlando and LEGOLAND Florida, in 2011 we tested the water slightly and learned as much as we could about this area of the industry. 2012 see’s the first year of our new start up, Orlando Attraction Tickets a site dedicated to the Orlando Theme Parks.

We are hoping for big things in 2012 for our new project and early signs have been very positive.

New Deals

I have to be slightly cryptic here I’m afraid as the pen has not been officaily put to paper, but I think we are about to offer something completely new to the car rental broker industry… Will be interesting to see if we can change a culture!

I’ll keep you updated on further developments and hopefully a few sneak peak screen shots of the new design.

If there are any features you’d like brought back or you have something you’d like to see added please let us know below.

regards,

James,

usrentacar.co.uk