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Err Travel · June 27, 2000

Joe Luehrmann of Cleveland, Ohio wrote: "My wife and I take vacations where we take a road trip of 7-10 days. The car rental places always ask where we are staying. To be honest, we never know until we are ready to stop. What business is it of theirs anyway as long as we don't take the car into Mexico or violate a provision of the contract?"

A darn good question, Joe.

I looked through the Internet sites of the half-dozen biggies in the rent-a-car biz to find out why they want to keep tabs on us. I couldn't find the information there so I used the contact information provided on the companies' Web sites to email requests for an answer to your question.

The results (in order of my satisfaction with them):

Avis The following day, a woman named Nancy sent me this. "Thank you for waiting. They ask so that if they need to contact the renter or find the renter, they have a place to start." If there is any other Avis information we can help you with please let us know. Thank you for using Avis."

Okay, not a very specific answer as to why Avis would need to find a renter, but it was a clear response, came back within a day, and sounds like it's written by a real person.

Avis gets a solid B.

Hertz Four days after my request, this came from a woman named Kamile. "Thank you for visiting our Hertz Interactive Website. In answer to your email, that is a standard question at most of our locations, world wide. They need some type of contact for you, in case they need to reach you regarding the Hertz car."

The answer is similar to the one provided by Avis, and Kamile did get back to me before the week was out.

For the effort, Hertz also earns a B.

Dollar Ten days after my request, I received this email from someone named Iatmatie: "Locations need this information for their records just in case they need to contact you for some reason." A response similar to those from Avis and Hertz and apparently from a real person too.

Dollar gets a C. Ten days in cyberspace is on the long side.

National Jeri from National sent me this: "All rate and reservation information can now be found online or by calling 1-888-CAR-RENT where an agent will be happy to assist you."

I had already looked online so I called. What I got was a reservations agent who was left speechless when I put Joe's question to her. Finally she said, "I guess you'll have to ask the agent when you actually pick up your car."

At the National counter in the San Jose airport, I did just that. Without hesitation Dianne told me that they ask renters where they are staying in case they leave things behind at the counter. The company would then know where to find them to return the articles. Good answer, Dianne.

Dianne gets an A. Her employer gets a D- for sending me in circles.

Budget I got a near-instantaneous response to my email noting that it had been received. Pretty impressive - until the next message came, finally, two weeks later: "Unable to respond without more details. Please call 1-800-404-8033 for online help."

I called. Wilber told me he had no idea why they ask for that information and suggested I call Budget's customer relations number.

I did. I was told that the information about where I planned to stay would be used to contact me if I didn't return the car. (As if I'd be there waiting for their call if I decided to keep the car.)

The grade here: D.

Alamo My email to Alamo got no response.

Alamo rates an unqualified F.

There you go, Joe. The official answers to your question are in. Next week I'll offer up some options on how to answer the question when it's asked.

Dr. Terry Riley is a psychologist and travel security authority. His column appears on Wednesdays. He is author of the popular book Travel Can Be Murder. Visit his site at http://www.appliedpsychology.com or e-mail him at terry@ticked.com.