U.S. Rent A Car's Car Hire USA Blog

Hi all,

I just have heard today that Dollar Rent A Car have officially opened their12th Customer Choice l0cation in San Jose, California.

Just like the Alamo choice product, customer’s will be able to take their pick from which every vehicle they like the look of within their booked category, so for example if you’ve pre booked a Convertible and there are Mustangs and Sebrings available you can walk up and take your pick.

Here at U.S. Rent A Car we’ve been surprised that other car rental firms haven’t copied Alamo’s choice product sooner, perhaps this might lead to Budget Rent A Car following suit…

Kind regards,

James,

U.S. Rent A Car.co.uk

California’s Mount Whitney measures as the highest peak in the lower 48 states. Its most famous climb is Mount Whitney Trail to the 14,495 feet summit. Wilderness permits are required.
 

In 1925 a giant sequoia located in California’s Kings Canyon National Park was named the nation’s national Christmas tree. The tree is over 300 feet in height.
 

More turkeys are raised in California than in any other state in the United States.
 

Pacific Park, on the venerable Santa Monica Pier, re-creates the amusement parks once dotting the ocean areas along the Pacific Coast. Featured are 11 amusement rides including the 1910-vintage hand-carved merry-go-round appearing in the movie “The Sting.”
 

Alpine County is the eighth smallest of California’s 58 counties. It has no high school, ATMs, dentists, banks, or traffic lights.
 

Fallbrook is known as the Avocado Capital of the World and hosts an annual Avocado Festival. More avocados are grown in the region than any other county in the nation.
 

In the late 1850s, Kennedy Mine, located in Jackson, served as one of the richest gold mines in the world and the deepest mine in North America.
 

An animal called the riparian brush rabbit calls Caswell Memorial State Park (near Manteca) its home. Endemic only to the state’s park system, the critter lives in approximately 255 acres stretching along the area’s once-vast hardwood forest.
 

In Pacific Grove there is a law on the books establishing a $500 fine for molesting butterflies.
 

The largest three-day rodeo in the United States is held on the Tehama County Fairgrounds in Red Bluff.
 

Demonstrations on making toothpaste from orange by-products were popular attractions at the Los Angeles County fair in 1922. The fair is held in Pomona.
 

Located in Sacramento, the California State Railroad Museum is the largest museum of its kind in North America.
 

Several celebrities are buried at Hillside Cemetery in Culver City. Included gravesites are those of Al Jolson, George Jessel, Eddie Canter, Jack Benny, and Percy Faith.
 

California Caverns claims the distinction of being the most extensive system of caverns and passageways in the Mother Lode region of the state.
 

Totaling nearly three million acres, San Bernardino County is the largest county in the country.
 

On Catalina Island in 1926, American author Zane Grey built a pueblo-style home on the hillside overlooking Avalon Bay. He spent much of his later life in Avalon. The home is now a hotel.
 

Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge contains the largest winter population of bald eagles in the continental United States.
 

Author Richard Dana (1851-1882) wrote the novel “Two Years Before the Mast.” He inspired the name for the beach community of Dana Point.
 

In Atwater the Castle Air Museum has the largest display of military aircraft in the state.
 

The Country Store in Baker has sold more winning California State Lottery tickets than any outlet in the state.
 

Reputed to be the most corrupt politician in Fresno County history, Vice-leader Joseph Spinney was mayor for only ten minutes.
 

The Iron Door Saloon in Groveland claims to be the oldest drinking establishment in the state. It was constructed in 1852.
 

The Hollywood Bowl is the world’s largest outdoor amphitheater.
 

The first person to personally receive a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood was actress Joanne Woodward. She received it in 1960.
 

Death Valley is recognized as the hottest, driest place in the United States. It isn’t uncommon for the summer temperatures to reach more than 115 degrees.
 

The first motion picture theater opened in Los Angeles on April 2, 1902.
 

Inyo National Forest is home to the bristle cone pine, the oldest living species. Some of the gnarled trees are thought to be over 4,600 years old.
 

San Francisco Bay is considered the world’s largest landlocked harbor.
 

Sequoia National Park contains the largest living tree. Its trunk is 102 feet in circumference.
 

Yorba Linda is home to the Richard Nixon Library.
 

The Coachella Valley is nicknamed The Date Capital of the world and The Playground of Presidents.
 

One out of every eight United States residents lives in California.
 

California is the first state to ever reach a trillion dollar economy in gross state product.
 

California has the largest economy in the states of the union.
 

If California’s economic size were measured by itself to other countries, it would rank the 7th largest economy in the world.
 

Los Angeles is ranked the fourth largest economy in the United States compared to other states.
 

Simi Valley is the home of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum.
 

It is estimated there are approximately 500,000 detectable seismic tremors in California annually.
 

During his engagement at the Fillmore West in San Francisco, Otis Redding stayed on a houseboat in Sausalito. While there he wrote his last song and greatest hit: “The Dock of the Bay.”
 

The state motto is Eureka!, a Greek word translated “I have found it!” The motto was adopted in 1849 and alludes to the discovery of gold in the Sierra Nevada.
 

California is known variously as The Land of Milk and Honey, The El Dorado State, The Golden State, and The Grape State.
 

There are more than 300,000 tons of grapes grown in California annually.
 

California produces more than 17 million gallons of wine each year.
 

The redwood is the official state tree. Some of the giant redwoods in Sequoia National Park are more than 2,000 years old.
 

The California poppy is the official state flower. The California grizzly bear (Ursus californicus) is the official state animal.
 

California holds two of the top ten most populous cities: Los Angeles and San Diego.
 

Fresno proclaims itself the Raisin Capital of the World.
 

The highest and lowest points in the continental United States are within 100 miles of one another. Mount Whitney measures 14,495 feet and Bad Water in Death Valley is 282 feet below sea level.
 

Castroville is known as the Artichoke Capital of the World. In 1947 a young woman named Norma Jean was crowned Castroville’s first Artichoke Queen. She went on to become actress Marilyn Monroe.
 

California’s Proposition 215 (1996) was the first statewide medical marijuana initiative to pass in the USA – keeping attorneys busy for years.

Hi All,

Unfortunately we have been contacted today by Alamo, who have confirmed a price increase on most vehicles, in most locations, to start from Monday 18th Jan 2010.

All bookings made before Monday will be honoured at the prices shown, however quotes will not.

We hope this will be the last increase imposed this year, but are of course in the hands of the suppliers. Remember you can secure your rental by leaving a £50 deposit.

Regards,

James

Hi all,

Just thought you might be interested in a new page on usrentacar.co.uk.

www.usrentacar.co.uk/usa_petrol_prices.aspx

This page will show you the current cost of gas/petrol anywhere within the USA which in theory should help you to budget more effectively.

Here are a few fuel saving tips for driving in the USA.

Avoid high speeds

As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard

By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%..

Keep Tires Properly Inflated

Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%.

Use Air Con Sparingly

When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

Keep Windows Closed

Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.

Use Cruise Control

Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.

Avoid Long Idles

If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time

Regards,

 

Gavin

For all departures from 12^th Jan 2009 onwards, passport holders from the United Kingdom, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland will be required to have an ESTA – electronic system for travel authorisations – issued for their trip into the US.

ESTA will replace the paper visa forms currently issued whilst in-flight. To apply for the ESTA please visit to https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov at least 72 hours prior to your trip.