National Rental Car is one of the foremost rental car businesses in the world. In August of 1947, twenty four self drive operators that had 60 locations along with 800 vehicles, founded National Rental Car. The group incorporated in 1959 as a for-profit corporation. Their identity as the best in personal service, besides as localized service, was quickly established.
The company is privately held and features vehicles that are made by General Motors. General Motors owns an 81.5 % share of National Rental Car and is one of the companys leading partners. National Rental Car is owned and operated by the Taylor Family of St. Louis. The brand is recognized internationally and serves the daily self drive needs of the airport customer. National Rental Car has locations throughout Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, Latin America, the Pacific Rim and Asia.
National Rental Car has been an industry pioneer over the years, working to improve the rental experience of their customers. In 1954, National Rental Car was the first to provide an option for one way self drive to their customers. They were also the first rent a car company to utilize computers in their day to day operations by equipping their offices with Telemax system. In 1976, after deregulation of the airline industry, National Rental Car became the first u drive company to offer its customers flat rate options. The company was also the first in the industry to offer a program for its frequent renters. They called the program the Emerald Club. Combined with the Paperless Express Rental Agreement, the Emerald Club used stored information to process transactions in just seconds, making the process of hire car much faster. Next, National Car Rental introduced the Emerald Isle. This allowed members to select their cars and be on their way with no paperwork, completely bypassing the rental counter. Later, the Choice Rental Process was introduced, giving all of National Rental Cars customers the option to choose exactly which vehicle they wanted.
As National Rental Car continued to evolve, its identity evolved too. By the 1980s, the companys commitment to corporate business evolved into a stronger commitment to the corporate traveler. In 1988, an agreement between National Rental Car and Nippon Interrent brought the company into contact with Asia, Japan and the Pacific Rim. In the late 1980s National Rental Car also expanded its relationship with Disney which began in 1975. The new agreement made National Rental Car the official hire car company of Disney also as the beneficiary of high-profile exposure at Disneys resorts and occasionally in its movies.
Over the years National Rental Car has experienced tremendous growth, innovations in the travel industry and changes in the organization ; yet the company has remained a leader in the industry. Today, National Rental Car is recognized as premium brand which serves the needs of the frequent business traveler across the world. National Rental Car is also part of a strategic global alliance with Europcar. This alliance creates the largest rent a car network in the world.
