More Than 7,400 Local Governments Contacted About Car Rental Customers' Traffic Fines, Tickets

TollPass Automatic provides convenient, transparent and cost-effective option to consumers

ST. LOUIS -- Oct. 17, 2014: In an ongoing effort to help address outstanding fines for traffic, parking and toll violations by car rental customers, Enterprise Holdings has notified more than 7,400 local governments in the United States and Canada and submitted the company's contact information as part of the public record. Enterprise Holdings, through its regional subsidiaries, operates the Alamo Rent A Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and National Car Rental brands.

The annual reminder directs government officials to deliver notice of any outstanding tickets and fines to the company's shared services centers in Tulsa and Toronto (examples linked: U.S., Canada).

"We know that local governments depend on timely collection of revenue from traffic, parking and toll violations to continue offering important taxpayer services," said Michele Muscarella, vice president of airport business development for Enterprise Holdings. "We streamline how local officials receive this information, helping many local officials work with violators directly to collect payment."

Following the 2007 acquisition of Alamo and National, Enterprise Holdings began to consolidate and process citation data more consistently on behalf of all three brands at its shared services centers. (Previously, Enterprise Rent-A-Car offices handled customer traffic and parking fines locally.) Information about violators is reviewed and, whenever possible, transmitted to the proper government officials, allowing their respective local courts to enforce citations more rapidly and reduce backlogs of unpaid fines.

Laws differ across each state and municipality. In some locations, car rental companies are legally required to pay violations on behalf of their customers while other communities enable companies to transfer liability to those responsible for the traffic fine. "For all involved parties, having local officials work directly with car rental customers is the most efficient and cost-effective method for processing fines," Muscarella explained.

Automatic Toll Options

The ticket enforcement process can be further complicated by unmanned, electronic toll booths or "cashless toll roads" that may require the driver to have a local payment device to pass through legally. In certain states, the Enterprise, Alamo, and National brands offer TollPass™ Automatic, an optional service that allows customers to drive through applicable video tolls worry-free.

TollPass Automatic is currently available in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Northern California, Texas, Vancouver, Washington, Puerto Rico, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario. In addition, the interoperable program between Florida and Georgia will be available this month, allowing customers to rent in either state, drive between the two states and be covered by TollPass Automatic.

With TollPass Automatic, if customers do not pass through any video tolling stations or automated booths, they are not charged for the service at all that day. However, the TollPass Automatic service provides automatic billing for those who choose to pass through tolls – and the TollPass Convenience Charge is only $3.95 per day, with a maximum fee of $19.75 per rental transaction (plus all incurred toll charges).

"As noted in the media, no one likes receiving a fine for unpaid tolls after traveling," Muscarella said. "TollPass is a hassle-free way for car rental customers to travel across roads with video tolls and can reduce the number of toll violations and fines issued. Paired with our ongoing work with local officials, these efforts work to ensure any toll violations or outstanding fines for traffic and parking violations are paid swiftly."

In addition, transponders are available in select U.S. markets (such as in the Northeast and North Central areas) where video tolls are not available. Transponders are radio-frequency identification-based systems that automatically pay bridge and road tolls. They are available to Enterprise, Alamo, and National car rental customers at a daily rate, plus all incurred toll charges. Other consumer options may include paying cash at traditional toll stops or avoiding automated toll roads altogether.