Hertz and the City of Miami Beach announced today the first City-sponsored car sharing partnership in Florida. Hertz on Demand has been chosen as the car sharing service which becomes available to City of Miami Beach’s  area residents and visitors beginning January 24, 2012.  The historic partnership kicks off with a Ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Miami Beach officials on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 10:00 am at Miami Beach City Hall Garage, Sixth Floor (located at 18thStreet, between Meridian Avenue and Convention Center Drive). Miami-area residents and tourists can sign up online, and  reserve cars which can be picked up from one of Hertz On Demand’s several conveniently located  hubs  and experience the enhanced member benefits offered by the Hertz car sharing club, including:

 

  • Free membership. Hertz On Demand has no enrollment fee or annual membership fee, and offers low hourly and daily  rates
  • No late fees. Hertz On Demand members will not receive punitive charges/late fees for the late return of a vehicle[1]
  • Rental fleet options including the Nissan Sentra, Nissan Versa and Chevrolet Camaro, Impala, Captiva, and Equinox. Hertz On Demand also plans to add electric vehicles, such as the Nissan Leaf, to its fleet in the coming weeks.
  • 180 miles a day[2], gas and insurance are included in the rates.
  • Daily rates on Hertz rental cars for longer trips; Ability to rent a car for up to 30 days
  • Unparalleled member service including 24/7 live, in-car assistance from a team of Hertz Member Care experts.

 

“We’re excited  that Hertz on Demand has been chosen   to introduce the first car sharing program sponsored by a city in Florida to  residents of  and visitors to the Miami Beach area,” commented Mark P. Frissora, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Hertz Corporation. “Hertz On Demand is less expensive than other car sharing services while providing unmatched vehicle choices and unequalled customer service for our members.  Hertz is committed to redefining the car sharing industry, and offering unmatched member-centric services such as the elimination of late fees, as well as free membership and no annual renewal fees. By utilizing the resources we have as the leading global car rental company – including best-in-class technology – we are making strides to bring the future of car sharing to life for our customers.”

Hertz On Demand provides members a quick, easy and convenient option to rent a car spontaneously. Hertz On Demand is starting with 5 parking locations and 20 vehicles in Miami Beach with plans to expand in the future, including:

 

Current Hertz On Demand Locations:

  • 7th Street Garage/Municipal Garage No. 1 – 210 7th street
  • 12th Street Garage/Municipal Garage No. 2 – 512 12th street
  • 16th Street Garage/Municipal Garage No.4 – 1557 Washington Avenue
  • 17th Street Garage/Municipal Garage No. 5 – 640 17th street
  • City Hall Garage/Municipal Garage No. 7 – 1755 Meridian Avenue

“We’re continually making improvements to parking, transportation and mobility – an important factor to our community’s quality of life,” said Miami Beach City Manager Jorge M. Gonzalez.  “The shared-car program will integrate with other alternative modes of transportation such as transit and bicycle-sharing programs facilitating mobility throughout the city.”

Hertz On Demand provides an economical, convenient and socially conscious alternative to car ownership. The service is a pay-as-you-go system, providing members with 24/7 access to vehicles strategically located throughout their city. It has approximately 114,000 members, is available in six countries and on approximately 60 university campuses. Hertz On Demand offers its members products and services that are unmatched in the car sharing industry, including:

 

  • The elimination of all membership and renewal fees in the U.S. and Europe 
  • An expanded car sharing fleet with new vehicles added to the service. The U.S. fleet has been refreshed to include luxury cars, including the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia; and cars for moving, including the Ford Transit Connect and the Nissan Titan pick-up truck.
  • Simplified reservation process. www.HertzOnDemand.com is newly redesigned, with a simplified reservation process, including one way map routing and reservations, enhanced search capabilities, faster page load times and enhanced details about car makes and models.
  • Unparalleled Member Service. Hertz On Demand’s industry leading, proprietary in-car technology provides members a safe and superior in-car experience.  Upon enrolling, members receive a smart chip enabled card which gives them keyless entry to any reserved car. In the vehicle, a hands-free audio kit connects members to Hertz’s in-house Member Care Center – available 24/7, 365 days a year – should they have questions, need assistance or need to extend their reservation. Hertz On Demand “communicates” with the vehicle, enabling representatives to unlock, engage and locate vehicles, cars are equipped with iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, for hands free driving, and EZ Pass transponders.

 

As the only leading global rent-a-car company to offer a car club, Hertz is ideally positioned to offer tailored solutions which are designed to meet the needs of today’s businesses. Businesses can reduce expenses and control costs by converting fixed fleet costs into variable costs by only paying for per trip usage. Shared cars can be used for professional purposes, including trips to nearby offices and off-site meetings. Businesses can give employees a money-saving perk by offering Hertz On Demand cars at work, making cars available for personal usage. Hertz On Demand is able to place cars on corporate sites and offers corporate members the added benefit of classic car rental services. Businesses, government entities with fleet operations, and even companies operating residential buildings, such as apartment blocks, can all benefit by offering employees and tenants car sharing services.  Hertz On Demand also serves businesses and organizations including Marriott International, BAA Airports Ltd. and Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

For more information, visit www.HertzOnDemand.com or follow Hertz On Demand on Facebook [www.facebook.com/hertzondemand] or Twitter [www.twitter.com/hertz].

SOURCE Hertz Corporation