The "independent" licensees are often subject to the policies and dictates of a district office who control the "independent" licensee's participation in various mileage promotions and rate settings. I have found that despite the best of intentions, sometimes the "independent" licensees are not fully informed of the district policies which makes it even more difficult should a renter encounter a problem (obviously they only "see" the local licensee, not the district office which actually sets their policies, etc.. Also, the "independent" licensees in some instances are "scared to death" of losing their franchise for violation of certain of Budget's rules and regulations, which certainly sets a certain tone as to their conduct...
Of course, on the plus side, the off site locations which are usually "independently" owned, offer a significant discount in rental rates. As like everything, it's a trade off sometimes...
Have a good weekend...
Originally Posted by
Auto Enthusiast
Word of caution: Most major rental company stores nationwide are corporate stores that specialize in one-ways, and most of the remaining franchises that own specific cars are in rural areas. Budget LAX and SAN are exceptions. They are franchises, as are the surrounding neighborhood stores. Many people generally report bad experiences with independent licensees.