As a frequent government traveler, I have used the Government Car Rental Program many times. Its ease of use and benefits to the government are similar to the Airline City Pair Program. I use FedTraveler to process my travel orders and to book my rental car, as well as air transportation and hotel lodging, for my official government trips. I charge these travel expenses to my government issued charge card. Since I use the government approved booking channels, I can take advantage of all the benefits specified in the Car Rental Agreements which are not available to the general public. This allows me to fulfill mission requirements and reduce the overall cost of renting vehicles. Some of the benefits which I personally appreciate are: free collision damage waiver insurance, unlimited mileage, no fees for additional government drivers, online booking capabilities in ETS and DTS, traditional booking capabilities through TMC/CTO, and car class upgrade options. As I understand, these benefits are covered under the daily Government Administrative Rate Supplement (GARS) fee. GARS reimburses rental car companies for some of the unique costs of doing business with the government. In particular, rental car companies under the Agreement must maintain insurance coverage or a qualified self insurance program which protects the government and its employees from liability for personal injury, death and property damage arising from use of the vehicle. Also, the rental car company assumes the risk of loss or damage to rental cars unless the loss or damage is caused by an exception listed in the Agreement. On one trip, my rental car’s windshield was damaged. I contacted the car rental company immediately and did not have to pay out of pocket for the damage. In conclusion, the Government Car Rental Program is an effective means for government travelers to fulfill mission requirements and save the government money, as well as contribute to the car rental industry.
by Lorie Henderson