Dollar Rent A Car
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Car rental |
| Predecessor | Dollar A Day Rent A Car |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Founder | Henry Caruso |
| Headquarters | Estero , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Car rental services |
| Owner | Hertz Global Holdings |
Number of employees | 5400 (1997, Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group) |
| Parent | Hertz Global Holdings |
Dollar Rent A Car (originally known as Dollar A Day Rent A Car) is a United States-based car rental company with its headquarters located in Estero, Florida. Operating on a worldwide scale, it functions as a division of Hertz Global Holdings, which also owns brands such as Hertz Rent A Car, Firefly Car Rental, and Thrifty Car Rental. Dollar primarily serves budget-minded leisure travelers.
History
Established in 1965 in Los Angeles, California by businessman Henry Caruso, Dollar was purchased by The Chrysler Corporation on August 15, 1990. It then became part of Chrysler’s Pentastar Transportation Group based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1997, Chrysler combined Dollar with Thrifty Car Rental to create the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, concentrating on airport locations under company ownership that catered mainly to the leisure segment.
That same year, Dollar and Thrifty collaborated with The SABRE Group to manage information processing and reservation systems. Under the Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group umbrella, Dollar generated revenues of US$617.53 million in 1997, with 91% coming from company-operated outlets. Their combined fleet consisted of over 61,000 vehicles spread across 872 locations and employed around 5,400 people.
The fleet size and number of locations expanded as follows:
- 2001 – 78,600 vehicles, 268 US outlets
- 2004 – 78,900 vehicles, 245 US outlets
- 2006 – 85,000 vehicles, 407 US corporate outlets
- 2009 – 106,245 vehicles, 600 US outlets
- 2012 – 122,000 vehicles, 470 US outlets
On November 19, 2012, The Hertz Corporation declared its acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group for $2.3 billion, thereby increasing its share in the car rental market.
The COVID-19 crisis had a significant negative effect on business operations; on April 30, 2020, Hertz failed to meet lease payment obligations and sought assistance from lenders to prevent bankruptcy. After unsuccessful negotiations with creditors, Hertz filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 22, 2020. The company successfully exited bankruptcy proceedings in early 2021.
International growth
In 1997, Dollar formed a partnership with Europcar International based in Paris to unify reservation platforms across the United States and Europe. This collaboration allowed customers in the US, Canada, and Latin America to reserve vehicles from both companies starting February 1998. Their combined network grew to encompass approximately 2,800 locations across 134 countries with a shared fleet nearing 175,000 cars.
Targeting international tour operators—especially those in the United Kingdom—Dollar increased its presence through company-owned sites throughout Europe by 2013. Initial expansion focused on Belgium, France, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands resulting in the opening of 114 new corporate locations by mid-2013. This was followed by an additional 22 locations established in Spain. In February 2014, Dollar and Thrifty Automotive joined forces with Ryan's Investments in Ireland to secure operations at key airports and city centers such as Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Knock, and Shannon. By early 2015, they further extended their footprint by adding 29 sites across major Italian cities including Rome, Milan, Venice, and Naples.
Dollar entered Poland’s market in 2008 and merged with NFM Group—a local rental operator offering both short- and long-term rentals—in March 2017. In May of that year, Dollar expanded into Colombo, Sri Lanka through a multi-brand franchise agreement with Andrew The Car Rental Co. Ltd., providing modern vehicle fleets and chauffeur services alongside Hertz and Thrifty brands.
These strategic alliances and regional expansions have bolstered Dollar’s international presence and enhanced its competitive position within the global car rental sector.
Fleet and rental locations
By 1997, Dollar Rent A Car concentrated on serving budget-conscious travelers, including those in leisure, small business, and tourism sectors. During the late 1990s, rental outlets situated in Florida, California, Hawaii, and Nevada generated approximately 80% of Dollar's fiscal revenue in 1996 and 76% in 1997. By 2011, the company had broadened its reach internationally to markets such as Australia, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, and Latin America, with a strategic emphasis on local markets and airport-based locations.
Dollar's rental portfolio features cars, trucks, and crossovers, enhanced by optional accessories like ski racks, child safety seats, GPS navigation devices, and operational assistance. As of February 2017, Dollar Rent A Car together with Thrifty Car Rental managed around 1,500 franchised branches worldwide, including 840 across the United States and Canada.
In recent years, Dollar has upgraded its fleet to include premium vehicles such as the BMW X1 and X3, Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX60, along with Mercedes-Benz models like the CLA, C Class, and AMG versions of the E Class—broadening its appeal to more upscale clientele.
Controversies
Dollar Rent A Car encountered legal issues related to imposing $15 "administrative fees" on cashless toll payments. In August 2018, Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a lawsuit against Dollar and Thrifty for allegedly misleading customers through excessive toll fee charges. The case was resolved in January 2019; renters affected between January 2011 and January 2019 were eligible to receive full or partial reimbursements via the Attorney General’s office.