Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group

Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group NYSE: DTG is a holding company for Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Rent A Car, formed in 1990 by Chrysler and spun off in 1997. The company at one time also owned Snappy Rent a Car (which was sold in 1994), Eurodollar and General Rent a Car (which was closed in 1993). It is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.^[1]

Prior to 2009 the company primarily rented Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles within the United States, though some locations featured other brands, such as Mazda, Nissan, or Toyota. In October 2009, the company stated that it would move away from its traditional reliance on Chrysler Group vehicles, diversifying its fleet to include more brands than before.^[2]

DTAG is a Fortune 1000 company and has over 1,475 locations worldwide including more than 835 locations in the United States.^[3] In 2006, the company outsourced its IT operations to EDS. As of October 2009, the company had about 7,000 employees, 700 of them in Tulsa.^[2]

Thrifty Car Rental

Thrifty Car Rental was founded in 1958. It became a public company in 1987 and in 1989 it was acquired by Chrysler, where in 1990 it was combined with Dollar Rent A Car.

Together with its corporately-owned locations and those of its franchise owners, the Thrifty Car Rental brand has more than 1,028 locations in 68 countries.

The Blue Chip Express Rental Program is Thrifty's free program that expedites a customer's rental process at most Thrifty Car Rental locations in the United States and Canada. The Blue Chip system is specialized for business travelers who need a quick pickup, but is also used for tourists and frequent local renters. The Blue Chip Rewards Program gives customers a free rental day at Thrifty after accumulating 16 rental days. Customers also have the option of adding airline miles instead. Some airlines used in the Blue Chip Rewards Program include American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Continental Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.

Dollar Rent A Car

Dollar Rent a Car was founded in 1965 by Henry Caruso in Los Angeles, California. In 1990 it was acquired by Chrysler. Dollar has more than 647 worldwide locations in 53 countries, with a significant presence in Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America, including more than 358 in the United States and Canada.

Vehicles

Both companies rent the same types of vehicles, since the companies are related to each other. The following is a list of the types of cars Dollar and Thrifty rent, or similar:

Economy: Chevrolet Aveo Compact: Ford Focus Mid-Size: Hyundai Sonata Standard: Ford Fusion Full-Size: Dodge Charger Premium: Ford Crown Victoria Luxury: Lincoln Town Car Standard Convertible: Ford Mustang Minivan: Dodge Grand Caravan Mid-Size SUV: Ford Escape Mid-Size Open-Air All-Terrain: Jeep Wrangler Standard SUV: Jeep Grand Cherokee Full-Size SUV: Ford Expedition Premium SUV: Chevrolet Tahoe Luxury SUV: Chevrolet Suburban

References

1. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions." Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group. Retrieved on June 14, 2009.
2. ^ ^{a b} D.R. Stewart, "Dollar Thrifty diversifies fleet brands", Tulsa World, October 12, 2009.
3. ^ Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group

External links

• Dollar Rent A Car official site
• Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group official site
• Thrifty official site
• History of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group

See also

• Car rental