New Vehicle Rental Fees in California
Jan 9, 2007, 1:58 am
#1
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New Vehicle Rental Fees in California
Concession Recoup Fee 11.11 Pct $55.51
Ca Tourism Commission Assessment $12.49
Sales Tax (8.250%) $45.80
From the beginning of the year it seems that the Calrson code is very expensive at LAX. Suddenly there are two charges Concession Recoup Fee 11.11 Pct and Ca Tourism Commission Assessment that are new.
Are these two universally adopted by Hertz, Avis, Enterprise etc. or are they only National/Alamo specific?
Ca Tourism Commission Assessment $12.49
Sales Tax (8.250%) $45.80
From the beginning of the year it seems that the Calrson code is very expensive at LAX. Suddenly there are two charges Concession Recoup Fee 11.11 Pct and Ca Tourism Commission Assessment that are new.
Are these two universally adopted by Hertz, Avis, Enterprise etc. or are they only National/Alamo specific?
Jan 10, 2007, 7:10 pm
#2
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seems like it's universal across rental companies. For Thrifty (in OAK), the Concession Recoup Fee is 11%, while for Dollar (also in OAK), the Concession Recoup Fee is 10.5%. Both also have the Ca Tourism Commission Assessment @2.5%.
Jan 11, 2007, 8:23 am
#3
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Hertz has these fees. I've rented at LGB & checked for LAX, SNA, etc.
duplicate post
Last edited by chemist661; Jan 11, 2007 at 8:25 am Reason: dup
Jan 11, 2007, 8:24 am
#4
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Hertz has these fees. I've rented at LGB & checked for LAX, SNA, etc.
Looks like the 2.5% CA tourism fee is new for 2007. Seems that the rental car companies are charging the approx 11% concession recoupment fees. The sales tax of approx 8.25% has always been there for a long time.
Jan 11, 2007, 11:34 am
#5
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The sales tax has been there for LAX. The other two fees IMHO are brand new and relatively high. I was wondering whether other car renrtal companies have started to charge these as well.
Jan 14, 2007, 12:29 am
#6
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Hasn't "Concession Recoupment Fee" always been there for airport locations? (it's the car rental companies method of making back the airport rent, and then some).
As for the new "Ca Tourism Commission Assessment", I googled up a relevant link and it appears to be California's way of socking it to tourists (and locals who rent cars, I suppose) to pay for tourism advertising while reducing the expense on the general budget.
And here up until now I was thinking excessive car rental taxes were just for funding stadiums and convention centers.
As for the new "Ca Tourism Commission Assessment", I googled up a relevant link and it appears to be California's way of socking it to tourists (and locals who rent cars, I suppose) to pay for tourism advertising while reducing the expense on the general budget.
And here up until now I was thinking excessive car rental taxes were just for funding stadiums and convention centers.
Apr 10, 2007, 8:21 am
#8
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These fees in California are all the result of AB 2592, enacted this year to allow the car rental companies to "unbundle" their advertised rates. Which everyone knows meant that the rates stayed the same, but taxes were tacked on.
It's a double hit to renters because it also has reduced the effectiveness of discount codes, as those codes now apply to the rates before taxes are added.
I've been flying home to California twice a year from Asia for the past three years to visit friends and family. My rental car price for this trip is the highest I've ever paid. It's a joke that I have to pay a CA Tourism Nonetheless, I will be engaging in tourism with my rental car this trip.
More info about AB 2592: LA Times story
It's a double hit to renters because it also has reduced the effectiveness of discount codes, as those codes now apply to the rates before taxes are added.
I've been flying home to California twice a year from Asia for the past three years to visit friends and family. My rental car price for this trip is the highest I've ever paid. It's a joke that I have to pay a CA Tourism Nonetheless, I will be engaging in tourism with my rental car this trip.
More info about AB 2592: LA Times story
Apr 10, 2007, 9:14 am
#9
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Because this thread has information that is not exclusive to National Car Rental, and because it affects virtually everyone that rents a vehicle in California, the new home of this thread is the TravelBuzz! forum.
Regards,
Canarsie
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Regards,
Canarsie
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Apr 10, 2007, 9:33 am
#10
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Very timely thread for me. I'm looking at my National reservation confirmation. We've got the $10 facility charge, the $4.04 concession recovery fee (what is that?), the $0.93 CA Tourism Commission Assessment, the $1.45 (per day) Vehicle License Recovery fee and 8.75% sales tax. So why are there 2 recovery fees? I have no idea what they both are. A commission assessment?
Article about taxing the travellers in today's NYT:
http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/04/10...traveltax.html
Article about taxing the travellers in today's NYT:
For all the complaints travelers have been voicing about delayed flights, declining service, crowded planes and invasive security procedures, there has been comparatively little outcry about another trend: escalating taxes on flights, car rentals and hotel stays.
But travel companies and trade associations are beginning to reach for the megaphone on their customers’ behalf, protesting the growing cost of taxes, many of them financing initiatives that have nothing to do with travel.
“It’s probably our No. 1 legislative issue at the moment,” said Bill Connors, executive director and chief operating officer of the National Business Travel Association, a trade group. “Local politicians have this idea that travelers are an easy cash cow because they’re not there to vote. But it’s a form of taxation without representation.”
In partnership with major car rental companies, the association has focused on fighting high taxes on car rentals and has tried to raise awareness by lobbying state and local officials. Taxes and other charges passed along by car rental companies, like vehicle licensing fees, raise the average rental bill 28 percent at airport locations, according to Travelocity, the online travel agency. These taxes and fees can exceed 50 percent at airports in Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta and Seattle....
But travel companies and trade associations are beginning to reach for the megaphone on their customers’ behalf, protesting the growing cost of taxes, many of them financing initiatives that have nothing to do with travel.
“It’s probably our No. 1 legislative issue at the moment,” said Bill Connors, executive director and chief operating officer of the National Business Travel Association, a trade group. “Local politicians have this idea that travelers are an easy cash cow because they’re not there to vote. But it’s a form of taxation without representation.”
In partnership with major car rental companies, the association has focused on fighting high taxes on car rentals and has tried to raise awareness by lobbying state and local officials. Taxes and other charges passed along by car rental companies, like vehicle licensing fees, raise the average rental bill 28 percent at airport locations, according to Travelocity, the online travel agency. These taxes and fees can exceed 50 percent at airports in Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta and Seattle....
Apr 10, 2007, 9:44 am
#11
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The concession recovery fee should be a part of the base rental, and IMO is a crock. If the advertised rate is $45, the bill should show $45, plus any statutory or government imposed fees. If there's a tourism tax, or new consolidated rental car facility tax or whatever. The concession recovery fee is an add-on for having to lease space on expensive airport or near airport property. What's next, "Shuttle Transportation Fee?"
Apr 10, 2007, 1:45 pm
#12
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I think there was some discussion of the new $10 fee in the Los Angeles subforum not long ago. I believe it hasn't yet been instituted (at least, it was not charged on my last weekend's rental). Once it is imposed, I will either fly into ONT or SNA or take a shuttle from the airport and pick up a rental car off-site.
P.S. I would be happy to give them gratis some great ideas to reduce pollution in LA!
P.S. I would be happy to give them gratis some great ideas to reduce pollution in LA!
Apr 10, 2007, 1:57 pm
#13
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Apr 11, 2007, 12:52 am
#14
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Don't laugh ... it's not for car rental, but I've been charged $1.50 to use a "free" shuttle. If you park at the Lowell, Mass. transportation center garage to attend the annual Folk Festival, it costs $5.00 for the day including the "free" shuttle. If you tell them you're there to take a train, take a bus, or walk around the corner to visit your aunt, just plain parking is $3.50 - as it is the rest of the year, when there's no Festival and no shuttle. (If you change your mind and then get on the shuttle, there's probably not much they can do - the shuttle is free, ain't it?)
Apr 11, 2007, 1:13 am
#15
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Avoid the airports.....
The new fees are of course scandalous, particularly paying a 'tourism fee' by a native Californian like myself. I used to rent from BUR several times a year, but no more. Last month I rented from the Hertz Local Edition in Studio City. Better base rate than at the airport (in this case) and only the usual 8.25% tax added on. Just like at LAX and BUR pre-2007.