THE BEST METHODS TO SAVE TIME WHEN RENTING A CAR

When you’re excited to land at your dream holiday destination, that feeling can quickly give way to frustration when you take a look at the airport car rental queues. The same can be true for when you’re renting in your home country too. Whether you’re on holiday or renting a car for work, you want to save time and get behind the wheel quicker.

Here are some great tips as car rental software company Coastr shows you the best methods to save time:

Cheapest is not always best – you might be getting a cheaper deal but that long queue means plenty of other people had the same idea you did. Weigh up your priorities in advance and see if saving some money is more of a priority to you than saving your patience. The higher end of the range tends to have shorter lines and usually a little more choice.

Shuttle bus vs meet and greet – most hire places ask you to hop on a courtesy bus to take you to your vehicle. This is fine if you’re not on a tight schedule but if you need to get on the road quickly opt for a meet-and-greet service. If you’re renting at home, make sure to let your agent know your timescale and get as much of the paperwork done in advance as you can.

Just in case – if you’re not sure you’ll need that piece of paperwork, take it with you. There’s not much that beats the frustration of not being able to hire a car because one vital piece of paper is at home on your desk. It’s unlikely you’ll be able to change your agent’s mind so do everyone a favour and make sure you have all the right forms and ID documents with you. Just in case.

Split duties – if you’re travelling with friends, family or colleagues, divide up your responsibilities. Have them collect the luggage while you get in the queue. If you’re renting at home make sure everyone gives you all the right paperwork way in advance of pick-up so you’re all set and ready to go as soon as the keys are handed over.

Join a loyalty scheme – if you’re a regular renter, it’s worth signing up to a loyalty scheme. Your documents will be stored and you’re more likely to be able to queue jump on pick-up day.

Going contactless – By choosing a contactless rental service, you can either do it via a website or an app to skip the queue altogether and save time.