Follow That Car: a History of the Rental
1916
Joe Saunders rents out a used Model T in Omaha, Neb., for 10 cents per mile.
1918
In Chicago, Walter Jacobs, 22, starts a 12-car agency. Soon he’s making $1 million a year.
1932
Hertz opens the first rental office for air travelers at Chicago’s Midway Airport.
1954
National offers one-way rentals: Drivers can pick up a car in one city and return it elsewhere.
1986
The number of cars and trucks for rent in the United States moves past 1 million.
2009
Borrow Beverly Hills Rent-A-Car’s Bugatti Veyron for $25,000 a day.
Your AAA card saves you up to 20 percent when you rent a car from Hertz. For information and reservations, visit AAA.com/hertz.
This article was first published in July 2009. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information.
