| Car rental is an integral part of many people's | | | | started a car rental firm renting Model T cars to |
| travel plans and is used all around the world to | | | | customers. Jacobs also experienced success |
| travel from A to B. whether travelling on | | | | although he sold his business to the larger Yellow |
| business, journeying with the family or simply on | | | | Cab Company, owned by John Hertz. In turn |
| holiday wanting to explore, car rental services are | | | | Hertz was bought out by the automobile giant |
| extremely helpful. But where did these services | | | | General Motors, the investment provided by GM |
| arise from? Who was the first to realise the niche | | | | ensured the survival of Hertz's company. Today |
| in the market supplied by rental services? The | | | | Hertz is still in existence and the largest car hire |
| history of the industry is naturally closely entwined | | | | company in the world, it distinctive yellow signage |
| with the development of the motorcar and | | | | recognisable in countries around the globe. |
| automobile industry. | | | | After the Second World War the industry as a |
| While the exact origins of the first renting | | | | whole experienced a boom time. This was due to |
| company are lost in the mists of the past, many | | | | the close relationship between the growth in air |
| hold the belief that the first rental company was | | | | travel and rental companies. Airlines were |
| started by a man named Joe Saunders. His rather | | | | increasingly being used for business purposes and |
| small operation started with the Model T Ford, a | | | | hence hire cars were widely being used by these |
| car that brought automobile transport to the | | | | businessmen once they had disembarked from |
| masses. It is believed that Saunders would rent | | | | the plane. Hertz were well ahead of the game at |
| his cars to customers and would charge ten cents | | | | this stage, having the foresight to place a rental |
| a mile for their use. Charges were calculated with | | | | desk and depot in Chicago's Midway Airport in |
| the aid of a mileage tracking device. A rather | | | | 1932. Hertz was not the only one however, |
| appealing story is that the first renter was a | | | | Warren Avis, another entrepreneur almost |
| travelling salesman who used Saunders' car to | | | | entirely based his operations within airports |
| impress a local girl he was taking out for dinner. | | | | anticipating the growth of air travel; mainly due to |
| Whether any truth is in this story is unknown, but | | | | Avis' experience as an army pilot during the war |
| it does add an attractive human element to the | | | | years. Today Avis is another giant of the rental |
| history of the rental car. | | | | industry, owning other major industry players |
| Saunders experienced large levels of success for | | | | such as Budget. |
| his company, perhaps becoming the first rental | | | | From this time car rental services have continued |
| magnate. By 1925 Saunders had depots in twenty | | | | to improve, outlets are now present in every |
| one states across America. The success was | | | | major airport in the world, even in minor airports |
| short lived however, the Great Depression, a | | | | a car hire desk is never far away. Additionally the |
| complete collapse of the economy in the United | | | | majority of settlements will also have rental |
| States, led to Saunders' operation struggling to | | | | facilities, servicing the needs of travellers for all |
| find business. Eventually, rather sadly Saunders | | | | manner of reasons. From humble beginnings |
| went bankrupt shortly after. | | | | allowing men to take girls out for the evening to a |
| Saunders however was not the only entrepreneur | | | | major industry in the global economy the history |
| with the foresight to spot an opportunity in the | | | | of car hire is fascinating. |
| market. Another American, Walter Jacobs also | | | | |