Gary Stoller, USA TODAY writes today about the rise in gas prices and how it is impacting the frequent car rental customers ….Three-dollar gas is causing many business travelers and their employers to come up with new strategies to save money when driving on business.
Employees of West Virginia packaging company Greenpak, for example, must check gas prices and line up as many sales calls as possible before they fly to a destination and rent a car, says Vice President Dick Young.

Employees are instructed to investigate sales leads by phone before driving to clients and consider whether a phone call would suffice. Auto expenses at the company are running 30% higher than last year, says Young. “The dramatic change in gas prices has caused everyone to re-evaluate.”

Business travelers at other companies are also formulating ways to combat the high cost of fueling rental cars, including downsizing; refusing free upgrades to bigger vehicles; filling up at local gas stations before returning the car, and driving more slowly. Car-rental companies say that while gas-price concerns haven’t hurt business, they have started more discussions at the rental counter about downsizing and have revved up greater customer interest in gasoline fill-up policies.

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