Are you wondering what’s the best transportation option for business travel? Between flying, taking a train or driving, the best option will often depend on how far you’re traveling or if you’re in Europe or the US. When it comes to traveling within Europe or the US, car rental is often underrated.
You may think it’s a hassle to arrive at the airport and then have to wait in line to rent a car. But what if you don’t even pass though the airport and you directly rent a car to get to your meetings? Rental cars for business trips can be a great option for traveling especially for close distance travel.
In this article you will understand when renting a car can save on time and money and when it’s a better idea to go a different route. Keep reading to get all the details.
When renting a car is a good idea for business travel
While car rentals aren’t always a possibility for every kind of trip, it’s important you can understand when it is a good idea so that you can potentially save money, boost flexibility and convenience.
Long-distance travel to remote locations
For long-distance travel to remote locations, especially in the United States, renting a car can be a good idea. Smaller airports in remote locations tend to have less frequent connections, for which renting a car can be a good solution, even if it means a 6-hour drive. Sometimes by the time you drive to the airport, get to the airport 1.5-2 hours in advance, and then fly and have to get to the city center, you will have spent at least 6 hours door-to-door.
Cost savings on mileage reimbursement
For your company, paying for mileage reimbursement and a rental car can oftentimes be more cost-effective than flying. In the US flying to remote airports can be costly, and since public transportation isn’t always available, chances are staff will have to rent a car anyways from the airport, so when possible, and under an 8-hour trip for business travel, car rental can be a great idea.
Lack of public transportation options
As mentioned previously, when there is a lack of public transportation options, renting a car, whether directly from the airport or if you decide to drive to the meetings is a great idea. Especially if more than one team member is traveling to the meetings. Sharing one car between different team members is highly effective, it’s a way of implementing economies of scale, and also saving money.
When renting a car isn’t a good idea for corporate trips
We’ve looked at some of the reasons why renting a car for business trips is a good idea, but there are some times when it’s better to choose another option. Let’s take a look at these instances.
Short-distance or short-stay trips
For short distance trips, or trips that require little time in situ within European cities, it’s recommended to fly or take a train when possible. By the time you rent a car, drive to the destination and park, it’s much too much work for little time. Cities within Europe tend to have great public transport, which makes train travel or flying in and out of the city easy.
On the other hand, in the case of the US, for short distance or short-stay trips, it could be a good idea to rent a car. Renting a car is often preferable to driving an employee’s own car because the mileage rate for personal cars is paid out at a higher rate to factor in wear and tear on the personal vehicle.
Urban areas where rideshare and transportation is easy
When traveling to urban areas like big cities, renting a car is not always the most comfortable option because it can be stressful to find parking and to manage all the traffic. Plus, usually in big cities public transportation and ride share isn’t a problem.
Environmental concerns
When it comes to environmental concerns, going by train, when possible, is usually the best option, unless you can go with a full or semi-full car load. In that case, not only is it more cost-effective but also has less impact on the environment. If you are traveling in an electric or hybrid rental car, it can be a good idea as it is a good environmentally friendly transportation option.
Tips for making the right decision
Making the right decision about whether a business travel car rental is right for you starts with evaluating your needs.
For example, will you need to go to other parts in the area while you’re traveling, is there good public transportation, or are rideshares or walking options available?
Other things to keep in mind:
- Compare costs
- Calculate all expenses (including hidden fees, mileage rates, cost if someone drives in their own car, cost of renting a car, incidental expenses, insurance)
- Consider alternatives
- What does your company travel policy have to say?
- Is the trip compliant with corporate travel guidelines?
No matter what you choose, it’s a good idea to explore all the options and to weigh all the factors like environmental impact, the alternatives, time, distance, and of course, whether car rental is included in your corporate travel policy or not.
Business travel car rental bottom line
We’ve looked at the ins and outs of renting a car for business trips. Depending on the individual requirements of each trip, renting a car should be closely considered as a way of expediting travel to remote locations, working with economies of scale when several travelers go to the same conference or meeting and being a convenient and cost-effective option for all those involved.
The important thing to remember is to make informed decisions for your next business trip, carefully weighing the options to understand which is the best option.
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