From the U.S. Travel Association's 2010 International Pow Wow show in Orlando and beyond, Enterprise Holdings, North America's largest and provider in the car rental industry is releasing all kinds of updates. Read up on the company's latest news.
Commitment to Reduce Energy Use & Costs by 20 Percent Over Next Five Years
Enterprise Holdings’ "20/20 Vision" will focus on reducing electricity, natural gas and water consumption by 20 percent across its Alamo, Enterprise and National car rental brands during the course of the next five years. Through an upfront investment in energy-saving technologies and conservation practices, the company expects to decrease the environmental impact of neighborhood car rental branches and airport facilities it owns and operates through its regional subsidiaries. The company expects to reduce energy costs by $50 million.
“Proactively reducing our energy use and natural resource consumption not only decreases our impact on the environment, but also will result in cost savings to ensure the sustainability of our business,” said Lee Broughton, director of sustainability for Enterprise Holdings.
The 20/20 Vision was developed based on recommendations by Enterprise Holdings’ Chairman’s Task Force on Sustainability— a cross-section of the company’s departmental leadership± that is leading an assessment of the company’s operations to identify opportunities to make significant, positive changes.Using these recommendations, operations managers throughout the company are developing energy- and cost-reduction goals. Initial changes— such as using more energy-efficient lighting and switching to energy-saving software tools— at the company’s headquarters in St. Louis and across more than 7,600 neighborhood and airport locations will lead to a dramatic reduction in the company’s energy use and costs.
Enterprise Holdings began piloting the 20/20 Vision in select markets in 2009. Based on the success of those pilots, the company is now rolling out the program companywide— nationally and internationally, across the Alamo, Enterprise and National brands.
This announcement marks the next setp of the company’s environmental platform that includes initiatives such as a customer carbon offset program; a pledge to plant 50 million trees over the next 50 years; an unparalleled fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles, FlexFuel vehicles, and gas/electric hybrids; the use of biodiesel fuel in its Alamo, Enterprise and National airport shuttle buses; and a commitment to alternative fuels research.
Since 2006, Enterprise’s environmental stewardship has resulted in:
* In its first year, customer participation in the company’s carbon offset program, along with a match from the company’s charitable foundation, generated $440,000 to fund several certified offset projects that work to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. With partner TerraPass, these projects offset 42,000 metric tons of carbon, which, based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, is equivalent to saving 4.8 million gallons of gasoline and 98,000 barrels of oil.
* Annual recycling of approximately 710,000 gallons of used motor oil and more than 676,000
used oil filters through the Alamo, Enterprise and National brand operations.
* In 2010, the planting of the 5 millionth tree through the company’s 50 Million Tree Pledge, a
partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and U.S. Forest Service.
* Recognition in 2009 by the Environmental Defense Fund for the company’s new rental transaction system at its more than 7,600 locations worldwide— a network of 45,000 energy-saving thin client terminals deployed through the company’s regional subsidiaries, which will enable the company to cut its annual carbon dioxide emissions by 6.5 million pounds— a reduction of nearly 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per branch office per year.
* WeCar car-sharing technology – complemented by Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s extensive local
car rental network – provides an environmentally friendly transportation solution, whether it is
for an hour, a day, a weekend or longer. Totally automated and membership-based, WeCar serves local businesses, universities and government offices looking to enhance their fleet management operations and sustainability initiatives.
* Significant strides in alternative fuel research at the Enterprise Institute for Renewable Fuels
focusing on the creation of biofuels from algae, soybean and camelina. Since the Institute was created in 2007 through a partnership between Enterprise and the Donald Danforth Plant
Science Center, it has been awarded approximately $75 million in additional research grants.
All told, over the past several years Enterprise Holdings and the Taylor family have contributed or pledged more than $120 million to environmental initiatives. Visit www.keystogreen.com.
Alamo, Enterprise, National to Offer Innovative Video TollPass Program
Beginning this summer, rental car customers in four states will no longer have to worry about receiving notices for generating unpaid tolls in video tolling areas as Enterprise Holdings announced a new upgraded video toll pass service for its Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental customers. Together, the brands collectively lead the car rental industry with more than a third of all airport business in the U.S. and Canada.
The service, called TollPass Automatic provides the convenience of automatic billing for customers who pass video tolling areas and generate tolls at an automated toll booth. It will be available beginning August 2010 to rental customers in Northern California, Colorado, Florida and Texas.
Customers only will be billed for days they use the automated toll road. Costs for the TollPass Automatic program include all toll charges incurred plus a $2 per 24-hour rental period TollPass convenience charge, or $6 maximum per rental transaction. All Enterprise Holdings’ toll pass programs are optional.
Additional highway toll road options for renters include paying cash at each toll stop (not always available at some locations) or avoiding automated toll road usage during the rental. Toll services using an electronic device also are available from Alamo, Enterprise and National in other areas of the country, and although not automatic, still offer renters the convenience of using toll road speed lanes.
Highway Toll Administration (HTA) administers all toll pass program billing and provides 24-hour customer support seven days a week. HTA has been providing electronic toll collection services since 2002, primarily to rental car agencies. Visit www.htallc.com.
‘SaveTime’ Pre-Rental Registration Service Gets Customers on the Road Faster
Alamo's new SaveTime, a pre-rental registration service for Alamo customers traveling into the U.S. and Canada – is accessible through www.alamo.co.uk and can be use in three steps:
* Input reservation number and surname
* Input license details and personal information
* Complete booking, including any options (to be paid during check-in at the airport)
Alamo customers in the U.S. are able to choose their own vehicles, based upon their advance reservation and requested car class, before driving off from port. In addition, because international travelers are especially concerned about unexpected costs, exchange rate hikes and unpredictable fuel prices, Alamo provides all-inclusive rates and comprehensive products like Alamo Gold, which includes up to three additional drivers and a tank of gas for customers visiting the United States and Canada.
Third Annual Clean Car Championship for Alamo, Enterprise and National
Enterprise Holdings hosted its third annual Clean Car Championship Thursday, May 20, in Orlando, pitting some of the best and fastest car cleaners in the country against one another. Six rental car service agents from airports across North America compete for the gold medal and a $1,000 grand prize.
Alamo, Enterprise and National service agents clean and refuel nearly 18 million vehicles each year. The Clean Car Championship competition challenged the finalists to clean two standard-sized vehicles and one SUV or minivan in 45 minutes. The process included checking the vehicle fluids and tire pressure and cleaning the trunk, floor mats, seats, glove box, windows and tires.
Finalists included Dennis Cagle from Detroit; Vince Cano from Colorado Springs, CO; Angela Jones from Jacksonville, FL; Jill Lake from Halifax, Nova Scotia; Shawl Seyoum from Washington, D.C.; and Hugo Villanueva from Phoenix.