Often Use Car Rental Services? Here is the History of World Car Rental Services

The car rental business still survives even though it has experienced a decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because the need for vehicles for personal use or for office needs continues to increase.

As the name implies, car rental is a company that provides fleets for rent. The fleet's choices range from passenger cars, logistics or commercial cars, luxury cars, to heavy duty vehicles which are often used to transport goods in the palm oil industry or plantations.

Generally, car rental has several branches located in big cities, crowd centers, tourist attractions, airports or stations. This is because rental cars are often used for tourism needs. In addition to providing cars for rent, car rental companies also provide driver services who are ready to take tenants to their destination.

Talking about the car rental business, do you know the history of car rental services in the world? Before entering Indonesia, this one business had quite a long history. Let's see in full.

READ ALSO: Here are Some Commonly Used Types of Logistics & Heavy Duty Car Rental 

History of world car rental

The history of world car rental is inseparable from the development of transportation facilities, which at that time were used to transport goods more quickly and efficiently. A scientist from France - Nicolas J Cugnot developed a three-wheeled steam-powered vehicle in 1769 and managed to attract the attention of many scientists.

During that time, steam-powered cars could only be owned by certain circles of people considering the high prices and limited quantity. Thus, people had to choose the option of renting a car.

The start of car rental services in the world began in 1904 when a bicycle shop in Minneapolis, United States, offered cars for rent. Several years later, in 1912, to be exact, the German company Sixt Autofahrten und Selbstfahrer (Sixt Car Cruises and Self Drivers) provided three cars for rent. However, the car rental business didn’t run smoothly during World War I because the fleet of cars that were rented had to be confiscated and used for war needs.

Despite failing, Martin Sixt got back up by providing a taxi fleet for members of the US Army stationed in Germany. Until now, the company continues to grow and become a major car rental company with branches in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with 300,000 cars worldwide.

The history of car rental in other parts of the world was also recorded in 1915 in Omaha Nebraska. A businessman named Joe Saunders decided to start leasing Ford Model T cars and managed to attract the interest of many people. Two years after its business was run, the car rental company called Saunders Drive-It-Yourself System provided 120 units of cars for rent and successfully branched in up to 85 cities.

Along with the news that there was a car rental business opportunity, the competition for car rental was getting fiercer. Chicago-based businessman Walter L Jacobs also started renting out the Ford Model T to the public. Thanks to a good advertising strategy, the company grew rapidly so that it was able to make a profit of up to $ 1 million.

In the era of the '50s, the automotive industry grew so that there were more and more car rental service companies. Even the railroad industry has also begun to cooperate with car rental companies at the station. It was during this era that many car rental companies began to be established, namely National Car Rental in 1947 and Enterprise Rent-A-Car in 1957.

Even though in that era many people had their own car, the interest in cars for rent didn’t decrease. Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental was founded in England in 1963 and they provided 12 cars for rent. As one of the oldest car rental companies in England, Arnold Clark Car & Van Rental currently has more than 55,000 vehicles for rent from 35 branches that have been established.

READ ALSO: Before Renting a Car, first Familiarize Yourself with these Available Indonesian Vehicles

The development of car rental in Indonesia

When talking about car rental services in Indonesia, this business has been around for decades. Until now, the business continues to grow along with advancements in technology that support faster and easier booking or reservation systems through online applications or websites.

In Indonesia there are several car rental services in big cities such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya or Makassar with various durations. The following are car rental services in Indonesia.

1. Car rental with driver

This car rental service with a driver is ideal for people who can't drive a four-wheeled vehicle, don't have a driving license (SIM), or simply want to enjoy a trip without having to feel tired driving all day. When you choose this service, the car rental company will provide a driver who is experienced in driving and knows the route well.

2. Off-key car rental

Unlike the previous one, car rental is a service of renting a car without a driver. This service is for those of you who are more comfortable driving alone and need privacy without the presence of people you don't really know. The price for renting a car off the key is also cheaper compared to the driver.

One of the companies engaged in car rental services is MPM Rent. Since 1998, MPM Rent has provided long-term, short-term car rental services, a fleet management system, and driver services. There are various types of vehicles available for your needs, whether for personal needs or as an operational and logistics company vehicle with flexible and profitable rental services.

Currently MPM Rent has a choice of vehicle fleets for rent, ranging from passenger cars, luxury cars, logistics vehicles, and heavy duty vehicles with competitive car rental prices. There are 13,000 fleet units with various brands and variants as well as 1,500 quality drivers.

MPM Rent currently has 8 branch offices and 17 representative branches. Combined, there are 25 touch points spread across Indonesia, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Palembang, Makassar, Medan, Semarang, Bali, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Batam, Cilegon, Cirebon, Jambi, Lampung, Medan, Pekanbaru, Pontianak, Samarinda, Solo, Padang, Manado, Pangkal Pinang, to Aceh. For more information, please visit MPM Rent.