Why are car hire companies demanding payments for every additional driver?

wrote:
On Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:52:46 -0500, "K"
wrote:

I have yet to rent a car in the US where my spouse wasn't
automatically considered a valid driver. The OP should check his
sources more carefully. My experience has been over many years.

I think you're either wrong, or dealing exclusively with one rental
company that doesn't charge a fee for spouses.

"Valid" has nothing to do with the existence of a fee. Some states
allow such fees; some forbid them. Most rental companies charge them;
one or two don't.

I've been driving rental cars for over 45 years. I very, very rarely
-- maybe once a year -- find a rental agency that doesn't charge
$9.95 to $20.00 per day to put my wife on the contract.

-- Larry

I'm not wrong, and I've dealt with most major companies, and several
regional ones. In the US, at least, you shouldn't have to pay for a spouse
to drive the car, at least not if you're on the trip together.

On Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:54:20 -0500, "K" wrote:

I have yet to rent a car in the US where my spouse wasn't
automatically considered a valid driver. The OP should check his
sources more carefully. My experience has been over many years.

I think you're either wrong, or dealing exclusively with one rental
company that doesn't charge a fee for spouses.

"Valid" has nothing to do with the existence of a fee. Some states
allow such fees; some forbid them. Most rental companies charge them;
one or two don't.

I've been driving rental cars for over 45 years. I very, very rarely
-- maybe once a year -- find a rental agency that doesn't charge
$9.95 to $20.00 per day to put my wife on the contract.

I'm not wrong, and I've dealt with most major companies, and several
regional ones. In the US, at least, you shouldn't have to pay for a spouse
to drive the car, at least not if you're on the trip together.

One source:

"Spouse at No Charge:
Avis
Budget

Spouse with an Additional Fee:
Alamo
Dollar
National
Thrifty"

Second source, CNN.com:

"No need to fight over the car keys
The fine print about adding rental car drivers

By Michele Schwartz
Budget Travel

-- Car-rental agencies say the odds of an accident increase when more than one
driver is allowed to take the wheel. We're skeptical: After all, isn't it safer
to have two drivers, especially on long trips?

In any event, you'd think that since it's a question of risk, extra drivers
would be an issue handled by insurance companies. But that's not how things
work. Agencies often tack on fees of $3-$10 per day for each additional driver,
while rental insurance rates stay the same no matter how many drivers are on the
contract.

Perhaps even more confusing is the inconsistency. Payless, for example, charges
$8 per day in Phoenix, $3 in Newark and $5 in Miami. Sometimes fees are
regulated by the state: Iowa rental agencies can't charge if the additional
driver is a spouse or business associate, while Nevada law says that adding a
second driver must be free, and drivers beyond that can cost no more than $5 a
day. But trying to make sense of extra-driver fees is a waste of time; what's
most important is knowing how to avoid paying them.

The most common loophole is when the additional driver is a spouse (or
sometimes, a domestic partner). Avis, Budget, Enterprise and E-Z never charge
for a second driver who you're married to.

Hertz and National, meanwhile, don't charge for spouses or domestic partners as
long as the primary renter is a member of their frequent-renter club; Hertz's
basic membership is free, while National's club costs $50 annually.

Many Fox and Payless affiliates also allow spouses to drive for free, but the
policy varies by location. Most agencies say they require domestic partners and
spouses to share the same address for fees to be waived, but they don't always
ask for proof.

Sometimes the extra driver doesn't have to be a spouse. At Hertz, there's no
charge for two drivers as long as both are AAA or AARP members. National and
Alamo have similar policies for members of a wide range of organizations -- so
ask."

Third source, NY Times:

"ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

If you're planning to have more than one person drive a rental car, it may come
as a surprise to find out that most companies charge $8 to $12 extra per day for
each additional driver. Usually, anyone driving a rental car has to show a valid
driver's license (and sometimes a credit card), and may also be subject to a
background check.

But here's a tip about how you can avoid that extra fee the next time you plan
to share the driving when renting a car. Some companies, including Avis, Budget
and Enterprise, waive this fee if the additional driver is your spouse or
domestic partner; Alamo, Hertz and National do as well, if you join their
frequent-renter program.

But Avis and Budget have the most flexible policies, waiving the fee if the
additional driver (regardless of sex) is the renter's "spouse, mate, life
companion, significant other" or domestic life partner...."

So it can often be done, but only if you're aware of the particular company's
rules and plan in advance.

-- Larry

"Larry" quotes the New York Times:
But here's a tip about how you can avoid that extra fee the next time
you plan to share the driving when renting a car. Some companies,
including Avis, Budget and Enterprise, waive this fee if the additional
driver is your spouse or domestic partner; Alamo, Hertz and National
do as well, if you join their frequent-renter program.

But Avis and Budget have the most flexible policies, waiving the fee if the
additional driver (regardless of sex) is the renter's "spouse, mate, life
companion, significant other" or domestic life partner...."

In 1981-82 I did a series of business trips where each time I flew
to Detroit and rented a car from National at that airport. I always
drove myself, but I remember noting that if a co-worker was with me,
that person was also automatically authorized to drive the car. This
is irrelevant to the original poster, but I wonder if *that* rule
exists anywhere now?
--
Mark Brader "You can do this in a number of ways.
Toronto IBM chose to do all of them...
why do you find that funny?" --D. Taylor

My text in this article is in the public domain.

wrote:
On Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:54:20 -0500, "K"
wrote:

I have yet to rent a car in the US where my spouse wasn't
automatically considered a valid driver. The OP should check his
sources more carefully. My experience has been over many years.

I think you're either wrong, or dealing exclusively with one rental
company that doesn't charge a fee for spouses.

"Valid" has nothing to do with the existence of a fee. Some states
allow such fees; some forbid them. Most rental companies charge
them; one or two don't.

I've been driving rental cars for over 45 years. I very, very rarely
-- maybe once a year -- find a rental agency that doesn't charge
$9.95 to $20.00 per day to put my wife on the contract.

I'm not wrong, and I've dealt with most major companies, and several
regional ones. In the US, at least, you shouldn't have to pay for a
spouse to drive the car, at least not if you're on the trip together.

One source:

"Spouse at No Charge:
Avis
Budget

Spouse with an Additional Fee:
Alamo
Dollar
National
Thrifty"

Second source, CNN.com:

"No need to fight over the car keys
The fine print about adding rental car drivers

By Michele Schwartz
Budget Travel

-- Car-rental agencies say the odds of an accident increase when more
than one driver is allowed to take the wheel. We're skeptical: After
all, isn't it safer to have two drivers, especially on long trips?

In any event, you'd think that since it's a question of risk, extra
drivers would be an issue handled by insurance companies. But that's
not how things work. Agencies often tack on fees of $3-$10 per day
for each additional driver, while rental insurance rates stay the
same no matter how many drivers are on the contract.

Perhaps even more confusing is the inconsistency. Payless, for
example, charges $8 per day in Phoenix, $3 in Newark and $5 in Miami.
Sometimes fees are regulated by the state: Iowa rental agencies can't
charge if the additional driver is a spouse or business associate,
while Nevada law says that adding a second driver must be free, and
drivers beyond that can cost no more than $5 a day. But trying to
make sense of extra-driver fees is a waste of time; what's most
important is knowing how to avoid paying them.

The most common loophole is when the additional driver is a spouse (or
sometimes, a domestic partner). Avis, Budget, Enterprise and E-Z
never charge for a second driver who you're married to.

Hertz and National, meanwhile, don't charge for spouses or domestic
partners as long as the primary renter is a member of their
frequent-renter club; Hertz's basic membership is free, while
National's club costs $50 annually.

Many Fox and Payless affiliates also allow spouses to drive for free,
but the policy varies by location. Most agencies say they require
domestic partners and spouses to share the same address for fees to
be waived, but they don't always ask for proof.

Sometimes the extra driver doesn't have to be a spouse. At Hertz,
there's no charge for two drivers as long as both are AAA or AARP
members. National and Alamo have similar policies for members of a
wide range of organizations -- so ask."

Third source, NY Times:

"ADDITIONAL DRIVERS

If you're planning to have more than one person drive a rental car,
it may come as a surprise to find out that most companies charge $8
to $12 extra per day for each additional driver. Usually, anyone
driving a rental car has to show a valid driver's license (and
sometimes a credit card), and may also be subject to a background
check.

But here's a tip about how you can avoid that extra fee the next time
you plan to share the driving when renting a car. Some companies,
including Avis, Budget and Enterprise, waive this fee if the
additional driver is your spouse or domestic partner; Alamo, Hertz
and National do as well, if you join their frequent-renter program.

But Avis and Budget have the most flexible policies, waiving the fee
if the additional driver (regardless of sex) is the renter's "spouse,
mate, life companion, significant other" or domestic life partner...."

So it can often be done, but only if you're aware of the particular
company's rules and plan in advance.

-- Larry

Well, that certainly clears it up.

On Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:51:30 -0500, "K"
wrote:


The only times I've used Enterprise were when my car was damaged and in a
shop for repair. Both insurance companies sent an Enterprise car to pick me
up. I wasn't aware that you could get one of their cars at an airport.


The Enterprise rentals were from a local, non airport location. The
Alamo rentals were airport rentals.