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More Ways to Rent a Hybrid Car
A common problem with renting a hybrid car is finding one available. When hybrid cars were introduced to the consumer market, they sold quickly, but rental agencies were reluctant to make the investment on what may have been a fad. This has changed slowly and now hybrids cars are available from many different agencies, at offices across the country.
Today, many agencies have introduced hybrid cars to their rental fleets, and these new additions are available from most main offices. Enterprise has the largest number of hybrids, spread across the most rental locations. They have made a commitment to providing this option to their customers and have established themselves as a place to go for those looking to rent hybrids.
However, Enterprise is not the only company with this availability. Many popular agencies like Avis, Hertz, National, and others have been slowly building their hybrid fleets. This is a good thing for the consumer because it means that those looking for hybrids may have the opportunity to shop around and find the best price. If you are a frequent renter with a favorite company, it is worth checking the next time you need to rent a car. Chances are, a hybrid option is available.
If the largest companies do not have hybrid availability in your desired location, it is not time to give up. Many of the smaller companies, notably Fox Rent a Car, have introduced extensive hybrid fleets as a way to establish themselves leaders in these niche markets. If you have never tried one of these companies before, a hybrid rental may be an excellent opportunity. Fox Rent a Car has offices in a variety of locations, mostly on the west coast and southwest, and offers guaranteed hybrid reservations in advance.
The rental agencies are not the only ones in the travel industry looking to expand hybrid rental options. Many internet booking companies like Orbitz and Priceline have introduced the option to search for hybrid car rentals. These websites can be excellent, easy ways to search for hybrid rental availability and to compare prices across many companies. Orbitz in particular has taken a company-wide green initiative and hybrid rental cars are only one of the many options that have resulted. The company also offers green travel tips and bookings at environmentally-friendly hotels, among many other things.
Another common challenge to those looking to rent hybrids was regional availability. While hybrid rentals have been available at major airports and very popular rental locations for some time, those using smaller rental offices were out of luck. While this, too, is improving, it can still be a challenge for many travelers. For many, the solution has been to use the Toyota dealership rental program. Many Toyota dealerships in towns and cities across the country participate in the program, offering their vehicles for rent at prices competitive with the larger, dedicated, rental companies. Many of these dealerships offer not only Prius hybrids, but Camry and Highlander hybrids for rent as well.
Once a challenge to find, hybrid rental cars have slowly become more available. Now that most of the major companies, and many smaller ones, offer hybrid options you can easily shop around and look several different places if need be. As the size of hybrid fleets, and the number of companies that maintain them, increase, the regional availability will only improve. This is just one more reason to give a hybrid rental a try.
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