The world's first car was created in this country. More than a hundred years ago, the first case of renting a car by a private owner was recorded in America. Very quickly, the Americans turned the service into a business that spread around the world. Car rental in the USA, the most automobile country in the world, is available as nowhere else in the world. Suffice it to say that all major car rental companies are registered here.
Features of American rental
By and large, car rental in America, its terms and conditions are no different from those generally accepted in the world. Some differences can be in different car rentals, as well as everywhere, as well as states - due to differences in legislation.
Basic conditions
Citizenship doesn't matter. The service is available to persons who have the right to drive a vehicle and have reached the age of 18-21.
- Almost everywhere you will have to pay extra for youth. Drivers under the age of 25 are charged a special tax of approximately 10%.
- Car rental in America provides an additional cost for a second driver. As a rule, when it comes to the spouse, there is no additional payment.
- The lease term starts at 12.00 noon. For an hour and a half late, they throw in a whole day. Daily mileage and territorial limits are widely used.
- The vehicle is usually issued with a full tank. Payment for fuel is taken immediately or it is returned refueled.
- Fines are paid by the client.
- The deposit is required everywhere. The prepayment and 25-30% from the top are debited from the card, and the final payment is made after the car is returned.
- If you take a car in one place and return it in another, in some offices you will need to pay one way tax (or Drop off fee). In large cities, this condition is often not available due to the great competition.
Required documents
A foreigner can rent a car in the United States with the following documents:
- passport with a valid visa;
- driver's license;
- a credit card with a balance of at least $ 600. On our debit plastic, the status is not indicated anywhere, but it is hardly worth the risk. A frozen deposit to a credit card is returned immediately after the car is returned, and to a debit one - after some time.
When ordering via the Internet, it is not required to indicate the card details. The full name, email and home address, as well as a telephone number are enough.
Russian rights in America are accepted only if they are of a new type, and they can be used for up to three months. If you plan to rent a car for a longer time, you will have to apply for an International Driving Permit (you need to make an international driving license at home) or get a local Driving License on the spot. However, for ordinary tourists, the latter is unrealistic.
In the event of an accident without an international driver's license, there may be problems with the lessor and insurers.
Rental car insurance
Vehicle insurance is mandatory here. As a rule, the rental price includes the SLI package (analogue of the Russian OSAGO, costs $ 10 per day) + CDW, but sometimes the calculation is carried out without taking into account an additional policy covering damage. Before renting a car in the USA, it is recommended to clarify what exactly the tariff plan protects.
Full insurance CDW / LDW (Collision / Loss Damage Waiver) - an analogue of the Russian hull insurance with a zero deductible (price about $ 500) or without it, anti-theft protection, insurance of wheels, bottom, and so on, is most often immediately included in the price.
PAE / PPP (Personal Protect Plan) - medical insurance for driver and passengers costs about $ 6 per day. It is not needed, provided that personal health insurance was purchased before traveling to the United States. Roadsafe - An emergency roadside assistance package costs between $ 6 and $ 20, but this is an optional option.
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Service cost
The cost of renting a car in the United States differs from state to state, but not much. A budget sedan in the outback costs from $ 25 per day. Cars of a higher class, jeeps and convertibles are always more expensive, but even executive cars are priced cheaper than in Europe.
On average, the price range for car classes is as follows, in dollars:
- economy: 30–150;
- medium: 60-170;
- lux: 180-230;
- minivan: 180-300.
Car rental in New York is always more expensive (from $ 35). Especially at JFK airport. The price rises sharply during periods of massive vacations and holidays.
As a rule, the price already includes full insurance with a zero deductible and a surcharge for a second driver. For long-term rentals (from 4 weeks) special reduced rates apply. In this case, the calculation is not made when returning the car, but by debiting funds from a bank card once a month.
You will have to pay extra for the navigator, EZ Pass (card for automatic calculation of toll roads), child seat and so on. Options are priced roughly the same everywhere.
Popular sites and rental companies
Renting from a broker is considered more convenient than directly from a company. Therefore, Americans and visitors are actively using aggregator sites.
As a rule, the order form is simple and straightforward, and the cost of the service will be reduced. The ability to cancel a reservation 48 hours in advance without financial loss contributes to the popularity of such solutions.
The most popular are:
- Expedia is an American global travel company offering full-service travel to travelers.
- Travelocity is a large travel agency, an approximate analogue of the above-named company with a similar site interface.
- Priceline is a tourist-oriented company.
- Economybookings is a specialized car search and well-known resource all over the world.
- Rentalcars is a low-cost rental portal that is used all over the world.
Such resources provide a search and comparison of options offered by well-known rental companies at a given time in a specific location. Suggestions are displayed in a pivot table where you can easily choose the best option. Very often with good discounts.
The last two resources have Russian-language versions. The search is available both by type of car and by brand of the car rental company, of which the most popular in the USA are:
- Alamo: targeted at young people ─ a car can be taken by a client over the age of 18. A young driver is charged only $ 10 / day, and when paying through the site, a 5% discount is provided.
- Hertz: the company does not need advertising, because it is one of the world market leaders.
- Dollar: an economy class car is available from $ 30 per day, return in other locations is possible without additional payment.
- Avis: The company, headquartered in New Jersey (located near New York), is reliable, fast, but expensive.
Refueling and fuel cost
The average cost per liter of gasoline in the United States today is $ 0.68. The most expensive fuel is in California and Alaska, so renting a car in Los Angeles ($ 0.91 / liter) or San Francisco ($ 0.97 / liter) is more expensive.
Traditionally, fuel is cheaper in oil-producing states: Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Louisiana. In large cities with a population of over a million people, prices start at $ 0.75 / liter.
There are practically no gas stations on the highways. To refuel, you will have to move off according to the signs, and on a special board you can find out the cost of fuel, which is indicated in gallons, which is about 3.78 liters.
Moreover, two prices are indicated: a lower one (about 10 cents per gallon) for card payments, and a higher one for cash payments. The following types of gasoline are available at the gas station:
- 87th or regular, according to the characteristics of the Russian 92nd;
- 89th or midgrade, similar to 95th;
- 91 or premium, which is slightly better than 95;
- The 93rd or superpremium is an approximate analogue of the 98th Russian gasoline.It is sold mainly in California and in the east of the country, but in the west it is very rare.
The filling machines accept bank cards, and the payment algorithm is usually indicated on the scoreboard. At some gas stations, it is required to indicate the zip code of the place where the card was issued, so it will not work to refuel in Russia, but you can pay through the cashier. Although you can specify 99999 ─ this zip code will work for any international card.
Traffic rules and fines
Traffic rules and the amount of fines in different states differ, but not so significantly that something should be specially studied. There are many nuances, but the basic norms are the same:
- In the United States, the carriage of children under 6 years old without a restraint is prohibited everywhere.
- 26 states and the District of Columbia require everyone in the vehicle to wear seat belts.
- The dipped beam must always be on. The driver is prohibited from talking on the phone while driving, though not in all states.
- It is forbidden to carry open bottles with alcoholic beverages inside the car.
- The allowed blood alcohol content is 0.08 ‰.
- It is forbidden to overtake the school bus during the boarding / disembarking of children.
- If the bus in front stops and turns on the flashing red lights, you must stop regardless of the direction of travel.
The following speed limits apply:
- settlement (business / residence district): 20-25 mph
- Expressway (freeway): 55-75 mph.
- residential area (alley): 15 mph.
On road signs, symbols are always duplicated by inscriptions, often there are no symbols at all and you have to read in English:
- Speed limit ─ speed limit ─ is indicated in miles (1.6 km);
- Do not pass ─ overtaking is prohibited;
- One way - one-way traffic;
- Wrong way - prohibited direction of movement;
- No motor vehicles - the movement of cars is prohibited;
- Road work ahead - road repairs ahead.
If the car is stopped by a policeman on the road, the driver should not leave the passenger compartment and put his hands on the steering wheel. The policeman will check the documents, announce the violation or write out a fine, if there was anything for it.
It is better not to try to buy off ─ an article is provided for this. A police officer has no right to collect payment “on the spot”, and fines and sanctions are approximately as follows:
- overspeeding - from 70 (50 + 10 mph) to $ 500 (50 + 40 mph);
- travel on red - $ 50;
- violation of the lane of movement - $ 380;
- parking on site for disabled people - $ 250;
- obstruction of traffic at an intersection - up to $ 550;
- roadside movement - $ 450;
- unfastened seat belt - $ 50;
- drunk driving - from $ 1,000 or imprisonment for up to 6 months;
- insubordination to a policeman - imprisonment up to a year.
Reckless driving is seriously punishable here. If you commit two or more violations at once, you can write out a fine from $ 250 to $ 1000.
Toll roads
There are more than enough toll roads and bridges in the country. If you see a Toll sign, get ready to pay. It is better to rent an EZ Pass - it allows you to use toll roads without having to stop.
You must select a lane with signs SunPass only, E-PASS only or LeeWay only to move at a speed not exceeding 25 mph. The system reads the card data automatically and will send an invoice to the rental company, which will debit the funds from your bank card.
Automatic payment systems are different in each state and do not work outside of them. In this case, you will have to select the Cash only or Change provided band and pay in cash. The fare is different everywhere.
Parking nuances
Parking is allowed only in specially designated areas. When it comes to the road, you need to pay attention to the color of the border:
- white ─ stopping is allowed only for embarkation / disembarkation;
- green - stopping is allowed for a limited time (indicated on the sign or on the curb itself);
- yellow - stop only for boarding / disembarking passengers for a limited time;
- red - stop is prohibited;
- blue - the stop is only allowed for disabled people.
Parking, paid and free parking in America works the same as in the rest of the world. It is forbidden to stop at fire hydrants, at intersections, sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, places for the disabled, special or for other types of vehicles, as well as on private territory.
Fines for incorrect parking are set by the municipality. For example, in New York it can cost between $ 46 and $ 265.
The following cities are considered the most expensive in terms of parking costs: Boston, Chicago, Washington, Philadelphia, Seattle, Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. On average in the country, parking for two hours in the center of a large city costs about $ 4, and for a day - $ 10-12.
Car rental in Las Vegas, where there are most free parking lots, seems to be optimal in this regard.
Actions in case of an accident
In the event of an accident, the first thing to do is to ask if the other participants in the accident are doing well and report the incident to 911. Those who are not fluent in English can use the services of an interpreter.
The service will connect with the police, who need to explain in detail what happened. The second step after an accident is a rental call. The third one is to film the damage and the place of the accident.
The police will not come to minor incidents, but will offer to draw up a protocol at the station. The protocol can be drawn up by phone, but you will have to describe everything in detail, indicate the data of witnesses and victims. Then the company needs to be told the protocol number and asked to replace the car.
Motorcycle and mobile home rental
The rental of motorcycles and campers follows the same rules. The only difference is in the cost and nuances of using mobile homes.
To rent a camper, you must be at least 21 years old. It is worth considering that they are of different classes (for three or more people). The rental price can go up to $ 200-300 per day. The average deposit is $ 500.
Entry to cities is prohibited (you need to leave at special parking lots for recreational vehicles - RV), and fuel consumption will be increased. They will also offer to rent additional bedding for $ 55 per set and a set of kitchen utensils for $ 100. There are options when a mobile home can be rented for a dollar a day.
When a distributor needs to return a car delivered in another city, it is more profitable for them to find a client who will deliver it himself. In the company, you can request the so-called Realocation List, and if there are directions of interest, you can save a lot. As a rule, you won't even have to pay for fuel.
Popular road routes
Whether it is worth renting a car in the States is up to you. But this country has an unrealistic number of stunning landscapes and interesting places to visit along popular highways:
- Pacific coast highway: A trip from San Francisco to San Diego along the Pacific coast will allow you to admire the stunning views, the world famous beaches of Malibu and watch live whales.
- US Route 66 ─ The Santa Monica road with its famous pier and Ferris wheel to Chicago is the most legendary. It is the "Main Street of America" and one of the first numbered highways. Along the way, you can admire the Cadillac Ranch car graveyard, the colorful Arizona desert and the ghost town of Calico.
- US Route 20: The scenic route from Boston to Newport runs through 12 states and is considered the longest in the States. You will have to drive along the long Finger Lakes, you can stop by the historical Ashfall Fossil Beds Park and enjoy the views of Yellowstone Park.
- Florida Keys: The route from Miami to Key West, the southernmost city in the United States, passes through Everglades Park and the longest bridge in the Seven Mile Bridge.
- Blue Ridge Parkway: The road from Charlottesville to Asheville is renowned for its scenic views. The highway connects two national parks - Shenandoah and the Great Smoky Mountains - with 200,000 acres of forest, caves, mountains and waterfalls.
- Four Corners: The most beautiful route in the American Southwest is the Flagstaff-Telluride Road.You can visit the Petrified Forest Park with petrified trees, drive through Monument Valley, the Four Corners point where the borders of the states of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico meet, look at the San Juan Mountains and get to know the Telluride resort city.
- Seward highway: The Anchorage to Seward highway is one of the most beautiful roads in Alaska. It passes through Chugach Park, covered with mountains, glaciers and gold-bearing streams, and ends at Resurrection Bay, where you can watch whales and other marine life.
USA Car Rental Tips
You should prepare an international credit card in advance and top up your account with a minimum of $ 1,000. You also need to take care of the navigator or buy a local SIM card and use Google maps on the gadget.
You must first study the terms of the lease and the contract on the company's website. You need to choose a car at the minimum cost in a rental service with a high rating. The service is worth looking for in the area with the longest stay.
You also need to pay attention to the size of the deposit. To avoid unnecessary costs, look for mileage restrictions, fines for return elsewhere, and with an incomplete tank.
Return the car on time, follow the terms of the contract, and there will be no problems.
Conclusions
According to the reviews of Russian tourists, and it is recommended to study them before any trip abroad, the United States has the best conditions for providing cars for rent. The route of travel and places of overnight stay must be thought out in advance and hotels must be booked immediately. For convenience, you can use the Roadtrippers website.
To make your trip meaningful, you can find out about nearby attractions using the Just Ahead app, which is available in the Play Market for free.
Do not forget about the possibility of renting electric vehicles. From time to time, offers appear on the American market that surprise with their financial attractiveness. But this applies to small cars. Tesla now costs around $ 150 a day.
