Rental Car Stupidity

I’ve been traveling a lot recently and I find myself very annoyed at the car rental counter. It may have something to do with my ZipCar experience.

You’ve been on a long flight. It’s late, you’re tired. You’re thinking, hotel, quick bite to eat, crash. You get to the car rental counter. There’s a line. But only 2 people, so it shouldn’t be bad. Twenty minutes later it’s your turn. Twenty minutes?

Why does it take 10 minutes to process a car rental when you’ve already reserved it? It’s absurd. They ask you a million questions that they should’ve gotten online and each thing then has to be entered into their system:

1. Phone number
2. Alternate phone number
3. Drivers license info
4. Single or multiple drivers
5. Gas option
6. Insurance option

So what should be a quick and easy step becomes a torturous process for a very tired traveler.

It bugs me more because when I get a car with ZipCar the entire process is:

1. Reserve the car online
2. Walk up to car and wave card over ZipCar to unlock.
3. Drive

Seems to me that the rental companies could ask all the questions online, print out a piece of paper with your answers on it when you arrive, have you sign, initial, whatever and hand you keys. 2 minutes tops.

Rental car companies need some technology lessons from ZipCar…