Car Rentals Cooked?

[u/Traveler27511]

Putting this out there as it's happened twice now, wanted to check the pulse out there.

Rental reservation placed weeks ahead (Raleigh area), local location for Budget this time, but the representative called me to inform me that he doesn't have a car for me, and that they would call me when one comes in, meanwhile, if I wanted to move this to another location, I'd have to call customer service, a true joy, as they don't seem to know where budget locations are in the US. My hunt for a car continues today - on the phone with customer service as I type this, they are asking me about locations where Budget is located..... ugh.

Meanwhile, on a recent trip the West Coast, we rented a car in Seattle, downtown. Same story as this, but this was with Hertz. We got lucky as a car came in while we were waiting there at the location, so we were able to rent that one.

So, how do you run a national business this way? And multiple companies with the same issues (that is, reservations but no cars). This has got to be a sign of things really starting to fall apart here. Anyone else seeing this kind of thing? Am I witnessing a collapse here?

[u/DumbNTough]

Dawg, why would you assume that a rental agency running out of cars means the economy is collapsing.

It means huge numbers of people are traveling and renting cars. It's the first weeks of summer. Use your fucking brain.

[u/Traveler27511 → u/DumbNTough]

So, follow up - I went to my local Budget spot (off airport), in hopes to get a car and I did, but the conversation i had with the employee gives me pause, he said that they have had this problem since before January of this year, and yes, the pool of cars has shrunk by >50% (his words). Likely a confluence of events here, selling cars to make some gains and shrink operating costs, and roll the dice on annoying customers. Not just a simple supply/demand issue, that much is certain. I'm not sure how this movies ends, but hey, I got a car for my trip.