Inside Track: May 2023 Edition | American Car Rental Assocation

ACRA Keynote at ICRS Leads to Federal EV Work Group
The formal presentation of Alycia Gilde of the U.S. Department of Energy at the 2023 International Car Rental Show, as well as Ms. Gilde’s less formal discussion with ACRA’s Board of Directors the day before, has led to the first steps towards the creation of an electric vehicle work group comprised of car rental companies, airports, vehicle manufacturers and utilities, as well as other interested stakeholders, led by DOE and the U.S. Department of Transportation.

ACRA members should be on a lookout for an ACRA survey on EV challenges and opportunities – both at airport and local locations – to inform ACRA’s inputs into the national EV work group, as well as an invitation to join an ACRA EV Task Force to develop ACRA’s views for presentation to the national group. This is an exciting opportunity for ACRA to engage with both the lead federal government agencies and important EV vehicle and charging infrastructure stakeholders as the car rental industry moves towards sustainable mobility in the coming years.

Former ACRA President Joe Knight Steps Down from ACRA Board; Paul Hemmert of Europcar Mobility Group USA Elected to ACRA Board
As noted in a special edition of the ACRA newsletter in April, former ACRA President Joe Knight of Fox Rent-A-Car has resigned his seat on the Board of Directors effective April 16, 2023. Early in April, the ACRA Board of Directors elected Paul Hemmert of Europcar Mobility Group USA to serve the remainder of Knight’s term on the ACRA Board. All of ACRA wishes Joe the best on his next endeavor and thank him for his tireless and inspiring work on ACRA’s behalf over the past two decades. ACRA also welcomes Paul to the Board and back to the car rental industry as an executive at Fox/Europcar.

**ACRA Joins AAVOR Statement at House Privacy Hearing**
The Innovation and Data Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing on April 27, 2023 on a potential federal privacy bill. The American Alliance for Vehicle Owners’ Rights (AAVOR), of which ACRA was a founding member, submitted a statement for the record at the hearing (AAVOR Statement) regarding the need for federal legislation on vehicle data access. The AAVOR statement also encouraged House and Senate members to join the Congressional Vehicle Data Access Caucus to promote consensus among stakeholders for such a federal vehicle data access legislation.

ACRAPAC Sets Record in Vegas
Whether it was the top shelf bar, the light-up ice cubes, the superb piano stylings of ACRA President Sharky Laguana, or the inaugural performance of the ACRA Singers – the 2023 ACRAPAC Reception at the ICRS raised a record amount this year to support ACRA’s advocacy program on Capitol Hill. With the contributions received in Vegas, ACRAPAC is already over halfway to its 2023 fundraising goal!

Many thanks to Mike DeLorenzo of NPN and Bill Wallschlaeger for their “match challenge” that encouraged folks to support ACRAPAC in 2023. And a special shout out to Dave Purinton of PurCo for sponsoring the ACRAPAC reception again in 2023!!

**2023 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference – Get Ready!**
Based on the success of last year’s 2022 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference, the ACRA Board in March locked in plans for a 2023 D.C. conference. Details and registration procedures will be released after the 2023 ICRS, but a draft schedule is attached (2023 ACRA DC Conference Schedule). Please mark your calendars for October 22 — 25, 2023 and plan to join your ACRA colleagues in Washington, D.C.

ACRA Membership Activity
New Regular Operator Members:

Auto Planet Sales and Rentals, LLC, Suwanee GA
Avondale Select, Grapevine, TX 76051
AZ Car Rental, Orlando Florida
Boutique Cars, Miami, FL
Country Car Rentals, Inc., LaJunta, CO
Dirt Cheap Car Rental, San Diego, CA
Europcar Mobility Group, Tulsa Ok
GSP Transportation, Hertz SC, Green SC
MCCEV, Dallas, TX
Nifty Car Rental LLC, Ponca City, OK
P&A Investments, dba Aiona U-Rent A Car, Hilo, HI
Premier Connections, Brooklyn, NY
Triple J Rentals Hertz (Guam) Inc., Tahuning, Guam

New Associate Supplier Memberships

ACO Rent A Car, Sunny Isles, FL
Base 64.ai, NY, NY
DisplayRide Inc.,Milpitas, CA 95035
Dr, ColorChip Corporation, Lake Park, FL
Innovations Logistics and Services LLC, Carson, CA
INVERS, Canada
National Automobile Club, Burlingame, CA
Pioneer Power Mobility-e-Bpost, Chaplin, MN
Sofiac Travel, Annapolis Junction, MD
Solution4Fleet, Sao Paulo
Universal Investigative Group, UIGPI, Sierra Madre, CA

Associate Supplier Member Renewals

Alternative Claims Management, San Antonio, TX
Hawkeye Claims LLC, Hollywood, FL
Hawthorne Estimating, Longwood, FL
Polsinelli, Los Angeles, CA
Pureline, Bensenville, IL
Rate Highway, Inc. Newport Beach, CA
Ridecell, San Francisco, CA
VRCG, Royal Oak, MI
Wheels Car Rental System, Athens, Greece

Regular Operator Member Renewals

EFAY Rent A Car, Coral Springs, FL
EV Rides, Denver, CO
EZ Rentals, Brooklyn, NY
McCurry Van & Car Rental, Athens, AL
Premium Car Rental, St. Thomas
Pritchard Auto Group/Pritchard Commercial Sales, Clear Lake, IA
State Street Auto Sales, Port Clinton, OH
Tom Wood Rental, SIXT Car Rental, Indianapolis, IN
Van Rentals R Us Ace Rent A Car, Los Angeles, CA
Vintage Brokers, Inc., Beverly Hills, CA