Alamo Rent A Car
Encyclopedia
Alamo Rent a Car is the third-largest car rental
agency in the United States. Based in Clayton, Missouri
, it has branches across the United States
, Canada
, Mexico
, Central America
, South America
, parts of Africa
, Europe
, and Australia
, and various Caribbean
islands. The chain was started in 1974 with several locations in the state of Florida
, and earned public appeal for its unlimited mileage program, where people could travel any distance with the car at no extra charge. In the United States
, Alamo rents mostly General Motors, Toyota, Nissan and Volvo automobiles.
Alamo is the largest car rental provider to international travelers visiting North America and developed the industry’s first and only online check-in system in 2005. It has more than 171 self-service kiosks at 63 U.S. locations, which earned it the “Extra Mile Award” from Budget Travel magazine in 2007. Alamo also serves as the official rental car of Walt Disney World® Resort and Disneyland® Resort.
In 2007, Alamo was acquired by Enterprise Holdings, operator of the largest rental car company in North America, Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
(CDW).
Cars are different outside of United States
and Canada
.
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
agency in the United States. Based in Clayton, Missouri
Clayton, Missouri
Clayton is an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis and the county seat of St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 15,939 at the 2010 census. The city was organized in 1877 and is named after Ralph Clayton, who donated the land for the courthouse.-Geography:...
, it has branches across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, parts of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and various Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
islands. The chain was started in 1974 with several locations in the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, and earned public appeal for its unlimited mileage program, where people could travel any distance with the car at no extra charge. In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Alamo rents mostly General Motors, Toyota, Nissan and Volvo automobiles.
Alamo is the largest car rental provider to international travelers visiting North America and developed the industry’s first and only online check-in system in 2005. It has more than 171 self-service kiosks at 63 U.S. locations, which earned it the “Extra Mile Award” from Budget Travel magazine in 2007. Alamo also serves as the official rental car of Walt Disney World® Resort and Disneyland® Resort.
In 2007, Alamo was acquired by Enterprise Holdings, operator of the largest rental car company in North America, Enterprise Rent-A-Car.
Collision damage waiver
Alamo Rent a Car provides, for an additional fee, authorized drivers with a collision damage waiverDamage waiver
Damage waiver, or as it is often referred to, collision damage waiver or loss damage waiver is an optional damage coverage available while renting a vehicle. It covers the rental vehicle. Some companies also offer liability insurance and towing coverage.Terms and prices vary among car rental...
(CDW).
Marketing gimmick
"Alamo Rent a Car" is based in Clayton, Missouri. It was given the name "Alamo" not because of its location, but because they wanted its company to be listed first in the telephone book.Department of Justice investigation
Alamo Rent a Car has been criticized for not providing adequate access to/from terminal buildings to rental car lot for wheelchair users. According to the United States Department of Justice, Alamo was the subject of many such complaints. Alamo reached a settlement with the government regarding the complaints filed by the Department of Justice.North American vehicle types
Alamo reclassification of car sizes has caused considerable customer confusion. Cars such as the Chevrolet Cobalt are classified as compact at other firms but is classified as a mid-size at Alamo- economyEconomy carAn economy car is an automobile that is designed for low cost operation. Typical economy cars are small, light weight, and inexpensive to buy. Economy car designers are forced by stringent design constraints to be inventive...
: Chevrolet AveoChevrolet AveoThe Chevrolet Aveo is a subcompact automobile manufactured since 2002, originally by the South Korean General Motors subsidiary, GM Daewoo—and later by other GM-affiliated entities...
or similar - compactCompact carA compact car , or small family car , is a classification of cars which are larger than a supermini but smaller than or equal to a mid-size car...
: Nissan Versa or similar - mid-sizedMid-size carA mid-size car is the North American/Australian standard for an automobile with a size equal to or greater than that of a compact...
: Toyota CorollaToyota CorollaThe Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
or similar - standard car: Ford Fusion or similar
- full-sizedFull-size carA full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. In the United States, the EPA uses "large car" to denote full-size cars....
: Chevrolet ImpalaChevrolet ImpalaThe Chevrolet Impala is a full-size automobile built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors introduced for the 1958 model year. Deriving its name from the southern African antelope, Chevrolet's most expensive passenger model through 1965 had become the best-selling automobile in the United...
or similar - mid-size SUV:Chevrolet EquinoxChevrolet EquinoxThe second generation Equinox was announced by GM on December 21, 2008, and debuted at the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2010 Equinox went on sale in June 2009. It is built on a stiffened version of the same "Theta" platform used in the previous model. The new Equinox...
or similar - standard SUV: Jeep Grand CherokeeJeep Grand CherokeeThe Jeep Grand Cherokee is a Mid-size SUV produced by the Jeep division of Chrysler. While some other SUVs were manufactured with body on frame construction, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always used a unibody chassis.- Development :...
or similar - premium: Nissan MaximaNissan MaximaThe first car to wear the Maxima name was introduced in 1981. It was essentially a Japanese-market Bluebird 910 with a longer nose. The car was offered as the 810 Deluxe or 810 Maxima that first year, and all 810s became Maximas for 1982...
or similar - full-size crossover: Dodge JourneyDodge JourneyThe Dodge Journey is a mid-size crossover SUV built by the Dodge division of Chrysler.-First generation :Unveiled first at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and later appearing at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Journey identified internally as the JC49, has an almost identical wheelbase as the...
or similar - full-size SUV: Chevrolet TahoeChevrolet TahoeThe Chevrolet Tahoe are full-size SUVs from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1992...
or similar - minivanMinivanMinivan is a type of van designed for personal use. Minivans are typically either two-box or one box designs for maximum interior volume – and are taller than a sedan, hatchback, or a station wagon....
: Dodge Grand Caravan or similar
Cars are different outside of United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
External links
- Alamo Rent a Car official webpage
- Confessions of an Alamo Car Rental Agent. The Consumerist.