A Club With No Cars
Is there anything more morbid, lonesome or drear … than a club with no cars? Perhaps that is an overreaction, it’s not like we’re talking about a pub with no beer… In fact, a Hertz car club may just be a clever alternative to ownership when more and more people are finding it difficult to keep a roof over their heads, let alone a car in their garage.
The Hertz car club targets city drivers, and on the surface appears to be the rental car company turning its back on it car manufacturing suppliers, by encouraging people to stop buying new cars. Hertz is one of the world’s largest car customers and buys 550,000 cars every year, and in 2009 plans to offer an alternative to car ownership, not to mention create a new way to grow their brand.
The global car club market is worth one billion US dollars (£667 million) and over the next ten years that figure is predicted to hit ten billion. Currently car club appeal to those who live in the big cities and still need a car occasionally, but don’t want to deal with the hassle of actually owning one. So, with more and more people migrating towards the cities, car clubs, and other pay as you go transport will soon experience even more growth.
With vehicle manufacturers already struggling, some say this shift towards hire vehicles will only hit them harder. However, while you are making the most of being in a car club like Hertz, brought together by your absence of a vehicle, Hertz and other clubs like it are still updating and increasing their fleets. The Hertz car club plans to operate in London, Paris and New York, offering members who have paid a membership fee, access to their all vehicles in their fleet, whenever they need them – booked in advance of course.
Hire cars in London are not a new concept and car clubs have been operating for many years in the mainstream. Of course ordinary rental cars are not the only options for those wanting to be part of a club but don’t have the wheels for it. In fact, being part of the limousine or coach hire circles in big cities like London, Manchester or Birmingham gives you access to only luxury vehicles, all without the membership fees too.