With more destinations reopening their borders to tourism, travel is gradually coming back. But while travelers are growing more confident with each passing day, not all modes of travel are considered equal in terms of perceived safety.
Road trips remain nearly as popular as ever amid the COVID-19 pandemic and that's because travelers continue to feel the safest inside of their personal vehicle.
According to Enterprise Holdings, Inc.'s Renter Sentiment survey from April-May 2020, nearly six out of 10 (59 percent) consumers deemed car rentals to be safe compared to just 24 percent who considered air travel safe. Ride-hailing services (13 percent) such as Uber and Lyft, taxis (8 percent) and public transport (6 percent) fared even worse by comparison.
Car rental companies have helped boost confidence in their product by implementing enhanced health and safety measures with a focus on cleanliness such as Enterprise's "Complete Clean Pledge," which the company has rolled out across its entire portfolio of vehicle-hiring brands, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car.
With advice from leading health authorities and in alignment with the U.S. Travel Association's "Travel in the New Normal" guidance, Enterprise is training employees to implement enhanced cleaning efforts for vehicles, shuttles and branch locations as well as social distancing practices.
Each vehicle is rigorously cleaned between every rental. Enterprise's elevated measures include washing, vacuuming, a general wipe down and sanitizing with a disinfectant that meets leading health authority requirements. Employees are also trained to thoroughly sanitize more than 20 high-touch points, which include the key or key fob, steering wheel, door handles, gear stick or gear shift, mirrors and cupholders, among others.
High-tough areas on Enterprise shuttle buses are also frequently cleaned. Additionally, the company is limiting the number of passengers on each bus and encouraging a one-way flow upon entry and exit. The Complete Clean Pledge also extends to branch locations, where employees have implemented elevated cleaning procedures with a focus on frequent disinfection of high-touch surfaces.
Car rental companies have been quick to embrace the new normal and travelers are taking notice.
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