WHY IT RATES: Portland is one of the great untapped markets in the west. Enterprise will continue to do well here. - Rich Thomaselli, TravelPulse Senior Editor
Enterprise Holdings Inc., which - through its integrated global network of regional subsidiaries and independent franchises - operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands, is reporting double-digit, year-over-year growth in the Portland area, especially at its airport locations.
In fact, Enterprise Holdings has grown its collective airport market share to nearly 40 percent, making it the largest car rental company at Portland International Airport.
According to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Portland ranked No. 19 on the list of U.S. metro areas with the greatest number of new residents. This population growth, combined with a spike in airport business and continued growth at local Enterprise Rent-A-Car neighborhood locations, has spurred Enterprise Holdings to invest in new jobs throughout the greater Portland area. The company has increased its Portland-based workforce more than 20 percent since last year.
Enterprise Holdings' diverse brand portfolio accounts for more than 6,200 fully staffed neighborhood and airport offices from coast to coast, almost 70 percent more than its nearest U.S. competitor. These convenient and accessible offices - operated through Enterprise Holdings' regional subsidiaries - are located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, including 65 in Oregon and 50 in the greater Portland area alone.
"Our tremendous growth in the Portland area is a testament to the strength and dedication of our local team," said Sabrina Rokovitz, vice president and general manager of Enterprise Holdings in Oregon. "We're committed to investing in new facilities and growing our local employee base to offer our customers greater convenience and vehicle selection, as well as the quality of service they've come to expect from our three car rental brands."
Every month, Enterprise Holdings conducts telephone surveys of hundreds of thousands of customers worldwide, and each location earns a ranking based on the percentage of customers who say they were completely satisfied with their last rental experience. Several locations in the Portland area scored well above the corporate average, achieving a new local record for customer satisfaction.
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"As we continue to grow throughout the Portland area, we remain committed to enhancing services for customers, while simultaneously operating our business with the next generation in mind," Rokovitz said. "This includes making our local operations more sustainable."
For example, since 2010, Enterprise, National and Alamo branches throughout the Portland area have reduced energy and water usage by 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively. These reductions were achieved as part of Enterprise Holdings' 20/20 Vision program - a voluntary initiative developed to help the company's regional subsidiaries identify innovative, scalable solutions for cutting energy use and costs by 20 percent during the last five years.
Enterprise Holdings' overall annual economic impact in the greater Portland area is significant. In the fiscal year 2015, the company made the following key contributions, totaling almost $20 million:
•$11 million in state and local tax revenues;
•$7 million spent on local collision repair centers, dealerships and vehicle maintenance facilities;
•$1.4 million in companywide purchases from diverse suppliers based in the Portland area;
•$258,000 raised by employees and matching Enterprise Holdings Foundation donations for the United Way's local Portland area chapters; and
•$100,000+ in donations by the Enterprise Holdings Foundation to local charities, such as Stand Together, American Cancer Society, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The Urban League, Dress for Success of Oregon, Basic Rights Education Fund, Vibe of Portland, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Children's Cancer Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund and Wildland Firefighter Foundation.
In March, the Enterprise Holdings Foundation also contributed to the opening of a Fisher House at the VA Portland Health Care System. This home provides lodging for up to 16 families of veterans and military at no cost, allowing them to be close to their loved ones while they receive medical treatment.
"We are proud of our longtime partnerships throughout Portland," added Rokovitz. "Our local economic impact represents a steady investment, year after year, in people, facilities, local vendors and businesses, and important community organizations. And we'll continue that investment in this terrific region we're proud to call home."
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