Katja

It took me a couple of rentals to notice this, but now I have confirmed with Hertz that their website no longer offers the option to request hand controls in your vehicle.

This apparently doesn't mean that you can't get hand controls, just (!) that you have to follow up with a phone call to put in this request. The CSR I spoke to at Hertz wasn't able to offer any rationale for this change.

I'm really disappointed about this - Hertz has always been my go-to choice for consistently being able to supply properly equipped cars. Having to call in for this is a real step backwards, and in my experience it's rare to get a call center rep who even knows what hand controls are.

(Edited to add: please see my correction downthread in post #7.)

HofstraJet

That sucks. I was really disappointed when they stopped offering minivans with hand controls and now this. I may have to switch rental companies.

FWIW, here's the direct number for Hertz's a Special Services Line where they deal with hand controls: 800-654-2220. After making a reservation, I would always call them to confirm the hand controls and to request the spinner knob.

Katja

That's helpful, thanks!

jabbered

i know it's not as easy, but I think calling in these instances is best IMO (from working for a hotel), but I don't know much about rental vehicles.

Not for experienced travelers, but for the novice traveler that may not be specific enough about what they need. How easy is the equipment needed installed or available?

I'd rather err on you having to call and tell me what you need and be able to ask questions and confirm, rather than you show up and what you need isn't available.

Katja

I appreciate your perspective, but this is a step backwards - people with mobility disabilities who wanted to rent from Hertz were able to indicate right there during the online reservation process that they needed hand controls. There were options for left or right mounted hand controls and spinner knobs. This meets the spirit of equal access.

Now there's not even a hint that hand controls are available. Those of us who have been renting from Hertz for a long time know that if we call in and if we are willing to wait on hold for a long time and if we are willing to negotiate the call center representatives who have no idea what we are talking about, we can still get what we need, but what about those who have never rented before - the novice travelers you mention? I know people with disabilities who have no idea that accommodations are available and therefore choose not to travel. Obfuscating the existence of accommodations does not benefit the traveling public.

DeafFlyer

It would be best for them to leave the check boxes, and make them call or email the customer whenever they check the boxes.

Katja

I have to post a correction to this - I had an extensive back and forth with Hertz (Facebook! Why can't the people who answer the phones explain things?) and learned that the reason that I did not see the hand control option on my rental was that I reserved the "Manager's Special" (a lower priced option).

So I'm going to give Hertz a partial pass on this. If I had chosen a higher priced category (compact, standard, whatever) I would still have gotten the option to reserve hand controls. They only get a partial pass, because the website should at minimum display the information that hand controls aren't available on this class of car. This is also true of the minivan category.

Sorry to have gotten everyone riled up - just another day in Disability World.

DeafFlyer

Thanks for the update!

Iftach Shemesh

Milano Linate airport Hertz agency offer in this URL Hand control. This is only a fiction! despite the publicatio the agent refuse to honor its written commitment

https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/locat...y/milan/LINT50

DeafFlyer

Thanks for this thread! I just found out from it that you can't rent a minivan with hand controls. I don't rent often enough to know that.

HofstraJet

Hertz stopped putting hand controls in minivans a few years ago. Now it's only large sedans and SUVs. Regardless, as I mention in an earlier post, always call Special Services and have them confirm with the location that the hand controls are available (though, as my next post will indicate, even that is no guarantee).

HofstraJet

Sorry to hear. I once had a manager confirm a vehicle with hand controls but then when I got to the rental location, there was no vehicle available. See my story here: http://thejetsfan.com/blog/2015/09/1...sive-ada-fail/

Katja

My favorite "Oh, yeah, no hand controls available even though we confirmed it about a dozen times" story was Hertz at BWI, Friday evening before Memorial Day, because it included not only no hand control installed in any car, but no mechanic available to do it until Tuesday!

So I marched myself next door to Avis, and without any prior reservation they brought out a car with hand controls immediately.

Then my company declined my expense report because I used a non-approved vendor, but wound up accepting it once they understood the situation.

I still get nervous when going to BWI, but so far there's been no repeat of that problem with Hertz there.