IN THIS ISSUE:
- The 2024 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference – A Great Success
- What’s new at ACRA
- Federal and State Activities
- Rental Car Tips 0001- Should I Lockbox Car Keys for After-hours Pick-ups?
- Using Fleet Management Software for Comprehensive Cost Analysis and Reporting
- Consumer Privacy in Rental Cars: Understanding the Risks and Solutions
- ACRA Membership Activity
The 2024 ACRA D.C. Car Rental Conference – A Great Success!
This year, ACRA hosted a record-breaking two-day event filled with educational and legislative activities in Washington, D.C. ACRA Board members from Enterprise, Avis, and Hertz, along with its president, Sharky Laguana, and Executive Director, Sharon Faulkner, played key roles in helping make this event a great success.
During the event, more than 80 attendees participated in sessions that included a legal update panel, an industry outlook and analysis roundtable, new and upcoming fleet recovery and telematics technologies, tips and suggestions on damage recovery, and an interactive session on future insurance trends. A panel discussion on franchise and affiliate models shed light on which options to choose as an operator.
At the Capitol, attendees admired the beautiful Corinthian architecture and French-inspired decor of the Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office Building. Gabe Klein, Executive Director of the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, presented a keynote on electrification projects and EVs. Following this, Sam Holliday from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society discussed several phases of our nation’s history leading to the construction of the Capitol and the history of the Kennedy Caucus Room. The sessions at the Capitol also covered topics such as a Federal Tax Outlook, updates on cybersecurity, electric vehicles, vehicle data access, and perspectives on the industry’s future, led by top ACRA representatives. ACRA members were able to capture some fantastic photos at the venue!
At the ACRAPAC reception, members of congress joined us to meet with contributing ACRA members. This year, ACRA invited six members of the house, including:
- Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and author of the “Graves Amendment” on vicarious liability;
- Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee;
- Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL), Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee;
- Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Republican Nominee for Utah’s Senate;
- Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL) – Member of the House Appropriations Committee; and,
- Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) – Member of the House Appropriation Committee.
Several of the members spoke to the group on specific issues relevant to our industry, and Representative Rutherford (pictured) told a particularly hilarious story about breaking up a riot during a college football game in Florida. Access more photos from the event on our 2024 ACRA D.C. Conference Photo Gallery!
Thoughts from our attendees:
“Thanks, everyone! I was also approached by multiple people congratulating and thanking us for an interesting and informative panel discussion!”
– Tristan A. Wolbers, Esq. (Basham & Scott, LLC.)
“A wonderful event, as always, full of insights and great networking. Looking forward to the 2025 edition!”
– Carlos Bazan. (Auto Spot Rentals)
“I really enjoyed working with all of you and also look forward to seeing everybody again soon.”
– Leslie Pujo (Plave Koch PLC)
ACRA would like to acknowledge and thank our 2024 D.C. event sponsors:
During this event, we had the following kind sponsors, to which we want to extend a warm THANK YOU!
- Mussel Bar dinner – Mariana Ribeiro with Bosch, Matt Zabelle and Charles Caravella with Hawkeye, Dennis Gjoni with Tollaid, and on behalf of Geotab, Rob Minton and Brian Hoffman
- Monday’s Breakfast – Michael Fathi with Hub Mobility / York Car Rental
- Monday’s Luncheon – Julio Valcarcel with Sofiac Travel
- Monday’s Cocktail Party – Colm Brady with Rentalmatics, Brenda Azua with Green Motion and U-Save, and Cindy Trenerry with 1st Source Bank
- Tuesday’s Breakfast – Mark Novak and Chad Caswell with Zubie
- Tuesday Luncheon at the Kennedy Caucus room – Mike DeLorenzo with Priceless and NextCar
- Tuesday’s ACRAPAC reception – Dave Purinton and James Driessen with Purco
- Wednesday’s Breakfast and Speaker sponsorship at the Kennedy Caucus Room – Jaci Bennett with CBIZ and Don Hubicki with Global Toll Services
- AV Equipment sponsorship at the Westin – Joe Wilson with Highstreet and Williams & Stazzone
- Sponsor Posters layout and Printing – Alex Purinton with Purco
What’s New at ACRA
ACRA’s President, Sharky Laguana (Bandago Van Rental) took over the role of M.C. at the recent ACRA D.C. conference. Sharky talked about upcoming changes at ACRA, including an expansion of staffing, that will help bring deeper involvement in the federal and local legal and legislative agendas for our industry. The “New ACRA” will also have more and better benefits for all its members, including additional training and educational tracks and efforts. Stay tuned for upcoming news from ACRA!
Federal and State Activities
- FEDERAL: As the United States moves fast into the elections, Vehicle Data Access discussion continues at the Federal Level. ACRA keeps a close eye on the debate as of who owns the data generated by a vehicle and whether the data should be freely accessible or only downloadable through the OEM. ACRA and its members believe that the vehicle owner should own the data and be able to access it for maintenance and fleet safety purposes
- CALIFORNIA: The Telematics Bill proposed by ACRA and entered by the Assembly as AB 2741 seeks to reduce the wait time to activate in-vehicle trackers from and report a vehicle as embezzled from 72 to 24 hours. The Bill sailed through the Assembly and Senate, passing both unanimously. The late breaking news (as of September 30th) is that Governor Newsom has now signed the bill, a huge win for our industry!
- COLORADO: The discussion continues on personal identifiable information within vehicles’ infotainment systems and what this means to industries such as car rentals, where our renters connect their devices through Bluetooth, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay. ACRA believes that new technologies do not leave PII on vehicles as these only use the infotainment systems as projection devices where all data remains in the user’s smartphones.
Rent-a-Car Tips 0001 – Should I Lockbox Car Keys for After-hours Pick-ups?
Unattended vehicle pick-up has become a common practice for some car rental companies, however, this practice might be risky in your state. Some states have enacted laws that regulate unattended pick-ups, which describe the rules and best practices to do so legally and retain certain protections. If you use a lockbox to hand off a vehicle, you won’t have your renter in front of you, thus, you might not be able to do an in-person verification of your renter to make sure that he or she is in possession of a valid driver’s license, and whether your renter might be impaired to drive. Car rental companies that use lockboxes usually require the renter to send two photos before the keys are released: (1) A close up of the driver’s license with all the information visible, and (2) a selfie of the renter holding the driver’s license next to his or her face, with the rental vehicle in the background. This ensures that the renter matches the photo on the license and that he or she is in possession of it at the time of rental. At that point, a remote customer service agent releases the lockbox code.
While this does bring a certain level of assurance to the car rental company of the legitimacy of the renter and the license, this might not be enough for you to protect yourself with local and federal laws like the Graves Amendment, and might also not be compliant with local regulation and your insurance carrier’s requirements.
It is always the best practice to discuss this matter with your attorney and insurance agent before implementing lockboxes or unattended pick-ups. After all, a consultation fee would always be cheaper than the cost and headache of handing off a $25,000 asset plus the attached libilty without the appropriate safeguards and protections.
Using Fleet Management Software for Comprehensive Cost Analysis and Reporting
Guest Column By: Shreaya Bajaj
Coastr – All-in-one Car Rental Software and Hire System
October 1st, 2024. – In the highly competitive vehicle rental industry, businesses are already doing great work serving their customers. The ability to maintain customer satisfaction and profitability is no small feat. However, there’s always room to improve efficiencies and gain even deeper insights to elevate the business. That’s where Fleet Management Software (FMS) steps in. It offers solutions that allow rental operators to harness the power of data to save time, boost profits, and make strategic decisions that will drive long-term growth.
Why Technology Matters: Efficiency and Data Insights
Technology provides incredible value, especially when handling the vast amounts of data that vehicle rental businesses generate. The challenge lies not in the data itself but in identifying the “gold mine” of insights hidden within. Fleet management software processes large datasets efficiently, saving significant time that would otherwise be spent on manual analysis.
Moreover, FMS uncovers trends and issues that might go unnoticed—such as recurring maintenance problems or subtle shifts in vehicle utilization. According to a study by Frost & Sullivan, businesses that use fleet management software experience a 10-15% increase in operational efficiency and up to a 20% reduction in vehicle downtime. This increase is thanks to the software’s ability to compile and process data in ways human effort cannot match.
Leveraging the Vehicle Dashboard for Cost Insights
The vehicle dashboard in fleet management software provides real-time, consolidated data about each vehicle. Instead of struggling with spreadsheets or manual logs, rental operators can access critical metrics like total earnings, downtime, maintenance costs, and fines. By centralizing this data, the software helps operators spot inefficiencies and revenue leakages quickly.
For instance, knowing which vehicles are sitting idle or generating higher-than-average maintenance costs allows operators to make fast, informed decisions. This helps reduce downtime and enhances the fleet utilization rate — a metric crucial to profitability.
Fleet Utilization and Reallocation Reports
Fleet utilization reports are invaluable tools for optimizing fleet performance. They allow operators to identify underutilized vehicles, determine seasonal demand trends, and make necessary adjustments. For example, you might find that certain vehicles are only in demand during specific periods, allowing you to adjust your pricing or fleet size accordingly.
These insights don’t just help with operational efficiency—they also prevent unnecessary costs. Maintaining a large fleet is expensive, and any underutilized vehicle is an expense that could be avoided. By analyzing utilization reports, rental businesses can reallocate vehicles where needed or reduce fleet size during off-peak times.
Why Coherent Data Matters: The Single Source of Truth
In the vehicle rental industry, having access to accurate, trustworthy data is critical for making informed decisions. Fleet management software provides a single source of truth, consolidating data from multiple business functions—maintenance, customer usage pattern, vehicle performance, etc—into one dashboard.
This coherence ensures that decision-makers get consistent, reliable insights, helping them avoid misinterpretation or oversights. When all business functions feed into the same system, management gains a holistic view of their operations. This enables more intelligent decision-making, where every action is aligned with overarching business goals.
Managing Vehicle Performance and Incident Reporting
Another critical feature of FMS is its ability to monitor vehicle performance. It tracks metrics like mileage, fuel consumption, breakdown history, and repair cycles. This data empowers rental operators to manage vehicles proactively, addressing maintenance needs before they become costly problems.
Incident reporting is also streamlined. FMS allows operators to document accidents, assess damage, and handle repairs more quickly, thereby minimizing downtime. Telematics-enabled systems can even provide crash reports, allowing businesses to identify accident trends and take preventative measures, improving vehicle safety and customer satisfaction.
Customer Profiles and Demand Forecasting
Fleet management software doesn’t just focus on vehicles—it also provides insights into customer behavior. By analyzing booking patterns and driver usage, rental operators can create detailed customer profiles. These profiles allow businesses to tailor their offerings, adjust pricing, and even set insurance rates based on customer-specific data.
In addition to this, FMS offers demand forecasting capabilities. By predicting future demand, rental businesses can plan fleet size, vehicle procurement, and retirements more effectively, ensuring they are well-prepared for peak seasons or market fluctuations.
Predictive analytics in FMS can reduce the risk of idle fleets while improving revenue projections, giving businesses a competitive edge.
Maximizing Efficiency with Fleet Management Software
Ultimately, fleet management software empowers vehicle rental businesses to optimize their operations from top to bottom. By making data-driven decisions, reducing downtime, and improving vehicle utilization, rental operators can maintain profitability while delivering top-tier customer service.
Consumer Privacy in Rental Cars: Understanding the Risks and Solutions
By: Carlos A. Bazan
Editor Column
October 1st, 2024. – As vehicles become more connected, consumers are increasingly concerned about the privacy of their personal information when renting cars. Modern rental cars come with infotainment systems capable of storing sensitive data like phone numbers, call logs, and even GPS locations. While some may worry that rental car companies are mishandling this data, the reality is that much of the privacy risk stems from limitations imposed by vehicle manufacturers, or OEMs, rather than rental operators themselves.
Bluetooth: The Main Culprit for Data Storage
When customers connect their phones to a rental vehicle using Bluetooth, a significant amount of data can be transferred to the car’s infotainment system. This can include phone contacts, call history, and even messages. While some rental companies offer advice on how to delete this information after the rental period, the process is not always straightforward. In fact, even after removing a phone from the list of connected devices, data traces can remain in the car’s memory until overwritten by new data. This makes Bluetooth one of the more problematic features for consumer privacy.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay: Safer Alternatives
In contrast, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay provide a much safer option when it comes to consumer data privacy. These systems operate as projection tools, meaning they simply display information from your phone on the vehicle’s screen without storing personal data within the car itself. As a result, once the phone is disconnected, very little, if any, personal information remains in the vehicle’s system. This makes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay less risky options compared to traditional Bluetooth connections.
The Role of OEMs and Data Ownership
According to Julio Valcarcel from Sofiac Travel, the root cause of this privacy concern lies not with the rental car companies, but with the vehicle manufacturers (OEMs). Most rental operators rely on the tools provided by OEMs, and these systems do not currently offer an easy, standardized way to erase user data from a car’s system. Valcarcel argues that if OEMs provided rental companies with more control over the data stored in vehicles, or a simple way to “reset” the infotainment system, this issue could be largely mitigated.
What Rental Companies Really Use
Contrary to popular belief, the data that rental car companies collect and use is not personal data like contact lists or call logs. Instead, operators use vehicle information like engine and battery condition data available through the OBD2 port and on-board computers to protect their assets and diagnostic information to ensure the safety and efficiency of their fleets. Nothing from the infotainment system is of any value or use to the car rental company.
How to Protect Yourself
While car rental companies are actively working to address these privacy concerns, there are steps consumers can take to protect their data. Rental car operators can advise their customers to disconnect any Bluetooth connections and perform a reset on the infotainment system to erase any stored data before returning the rental vehicle. For those using Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, the risk is much lower, but it’s still a good idea to ensure that no personal data lingers in the system.
The Path Forward
The issue of consumer privacy in rental vehicles is complex, and while rental companies are not the main culprits, they are left to deal with the consequences of the systems provided by OEMs. Valcarcel calls for legislative changes that would give both consumers and rental operators more control over vehicle data. Until then, consumers should remain vigilant and take steps to protect their personal information whenever they rent a vehicle.
ACRA has vehicle data access and ownership as one of the most urgent points within its legal and legislative agenda. ACRA ambassadors and its members’ lobbyists are constantly working with privacy advocates and legislators at the federal level to express our industry’s concerns and shift regulations towards laws that could better fit our needs and available resources.
ACRA Membership Activity
New Associate Members:
- neoRide, Cedar Park, Texas
- 365id, Halmstad, Hallands, Ian
- Robert Bosch, Farmington Hills, MI
Associate Members Renewals:
- Basham & Scott, Brunswick, ME