Payless Car Rental

Payless Car Rental, Inc.

Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Car rental
Founded	1971 (1971)
Founder	John Les Netterstron
Headquarters	St. Petersburg , United States
Area served	North America, South America, Europe
Products	Car rental services
Owner	Avis Budget Group
Parent	Avis Budget Group

Payless Car Rental, Inc. operates as a car rental enterprise under the ownership of Avis Budget Group, with its main office situated in St. Petersburg, Florida. Functioning predominantly through a franchise model, the company also manages several directly owned locations. Alongside Payless Car Sales, Payless Parking, and REZlink International, Payless Car Rental is part of the Avalon Global Group family.

The Payless brand maintains a presence throughout North America, South America, and Europe, encompassing 167 locations worldwide.

In 2013, Payless was purchased by Avis Budget Group for $50 million.

History

Established in 1971 by John Les Netterstron in Spokane, Washington, Payless evolved from a single local rental outlet into a franchise network with over 100 offices across the United States. The company expanded its footprint in 1987 by acquiring the U.S. operations of Canadian Holiday Rent a Car and introducing its inaugural automated central reservation system.

The branding created in 1989 has largely been preserved to this day. Starting in 2002, Payless launched its first corporate-owned outlets, growing to six by 2006, with locations in major U.S. cities such as Denver, Ft. Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, and Tampa.

By 2008, the company managed a fleet exceeding 10,000 vehicles across more than 80 sites spanning 20 countries. In 2009, Payless broadened its market reach by becoming part of Expedia’s Preferred Vendors and securing listings on platforms including Orbitz, Priceline.com, Travelocity, and Rentcars.com.

The acquisition by Avis Budget Group took place in July 2013 for $50 million, incorporating Payless into its suite of car rental brands.

Vehicles

To optimize expenses, Payless frequently shares vehicle inventories with its sister brands under the Avis Budget Group umbrella, such as Avis Rent a Car and Budget Rent a Car. The company sustains profitability by limiting the range of vehicle categories it offers compared to competitors.

See also

• Transport