Local Enterprise Rent-A-Car Offices Supporting FEMA, Utilities and Other Post-Irene Recovery Efforts

ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - Aug 30, 2011) - The extensive Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood network has become an integral part of many cities' and towns' local transportation infrastructure, particularly when natural disasters like Hurricane Irene hit.

"In times like these, it is imperative for us to quickly move vehicles around the country and into affected areas," said Matt Darrah, executive vice president of North American operations for Enterprise Holdings, which owns the flagship Enterprise brand as well as National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car. "Then, once vehicles are in place, we can help put utility companies, government agencies, insurance adjusters and CAT (catastrophe) teams on the road so that they can get the recovery and restoration process under way."

Roger Dow, president and chief executive officer of the U.S. Travel Association, likewise recognizes the unique role of car rental service. "Hundreds of towns and cities affected by Hurricane Irene are getting their homes and businesses back in order thanks to the cars and trucks made available by America's local car rental companies. It's just another example of how the travel industry pulls together to normalize travel patterns and helps restore American communities after disaster strikes."

For example, Enterprise is renting vehicles -- primarily pick-up trucks -- to Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) in Newark. In addition, the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue actually began working with the Enterprise Rent-A-Car team several days before Hurricane Irene hit the Eastern Seaboard. Such advance notice enabled Enterprise to begin planning and relocating trucks and minivans to facilitate the clean up and repair effort, from North Carolina to New Jersey.

Meanwhile, many Enterprise managers worked to accommodate last-minute requests before the storm hit, which reflected the company's 55-year focus on local service. "We did everything we could -- including opening closed offices -- to assist stranded customers and prepare for the eventual clean-up," explained Andy Church, who oversees Enterprise, National and Alamo in the New York City area. "While such decisions further complicated our post-Irene planning process, it was definitely the right thing to do under the circumstances."

With more than 5,500 branch offices located within 15 miles of the U.S. population, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand is well known for offering affordable, accessible and sustainable transportation options in communities from coast to coast. "We take great pride in meeting the needs of our customers, day in and day out, right where they live and work," Darrah said.

"But it is especially satisfying to play a part in emergency-preparedness and disaster-recovery efforts, whether they involve tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., hail storms in Texas, or a hurricane along the East Coast," he concluded. "Our resources and employees enable us to make a real difference in many people's lives."

About Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Founded in 1957 and known for an extensive network of locations, everyday low rates and outstanding customer service, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an internationally recognized brand that has been named to BusinessWeek magazine's annual list of "Customer Service Champs" in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Enterprise also has ranked "Highest in Rental Car Customer Satisfaction" among North American airport rentals for the last seven years in a row, according to the 2004-2010 J.D. Power and Associates Rental Car Satisfaction Studies.

Enterprise operates more than twice as many locations as its nearest competitor and continues to lead the home-city market, with local car rental revenues currently experiencing double-digit growth. Enterprise Rent-A-Car operates not only as a key provider for insurance replacement, weekend getaways and special occasions, but also as a local transportation alternative. For example, many consumers rely on mass transit during the week or simply cannot afford to purchase or maintain a vehicle on their own -- so they often depend on local Virtual Car® rental service and take advantage of Enterprise's "everyday low price," including popular weekend rates starting at $9.99 per day (the rate includes 100 free miles a day).

St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings owns and operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand. With annual revenues of $12.6 billion and more than 68,000 employees, Enterprise Holdings also operates, through its regional subsidiaries, more than 1 million cars and trucks, making it the largest car rental service provider in the world measured by revenue, employees and fleet. For more information about Enterprise local and airport car rental as well as vehicle leasing, car sharing and vanpooling options, visit www.enterprise.com. For more information about Enterprise's environmental stewardship and long-term commitment to the sustainability of its business, visit www.DrivingFutures.com and follow @LeeBroughton on Twitter. This news release and other Enterprise Rent-A-Car announcements are available at the Enterprise Holdings press room.