In another case of put your money where your hybrid is, San Francisco via Mayor Newsom just launched a green hybrid car rental program at San Francisco International Airport. So, after flying in with a heavy carbon footprint, car renters will be able lighten their footprint and fatten their wallet somewhat by taking advantage of this new hybrid program. Customers who rent hybrid cars that get an EPA rating of at least 18 will receive a $15 discount at the counter. Cars in this category include the Honda Civic Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid or Toyota Prius. Fifteen bones won’t go so far in this City but the discount will bring hybrid rental prices down closer to normally fully polluting cars as well as some green awareness.
This program will save those green corporate bean counters money as airport rental car companies will qualify for a 20 percent reduction of their airport rent fees if they achieve a goal of increasing the percentage of their overall transactions to 15 percent for rentals of hybrid cars or high mileage vehicles – those with an EPA rating of 17 or higher. Cars in this category include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Ford Focus, as well as the hybrid cars.
SFO hopes that these incentives will increase the total number of high mileage and hybrid cars in the rental fleet to more than 15 percent.
We’re not going to say that this hybrid discount calls for a rousing ovation. Hybrids might be better than conventional vehicles but the idea is to get people out of their cars (hybrids or not). We’d rather see the airport promote BART to and from the airport. It’s an economical ($5.35), fast and convenient ride to SF proper. Maybe the City can reward travelers with a mass transit discount?
Running the BART line to SFO was a major improvement in Bay Area transportation, and the addition of hybrid rentals is another huge step in the right direction for those who won’t be staying in the city center.
I would also be nice if corporate travel policies were amended to encourage the practice of renting hybrids while on business trips.
I hope that some of the other municipal areas take a gander @ what San Francisco has done to aid in the increasing threat of global warming by use of hybrid rentals. Inevitably all rental fleets will be full of hybrids since I believe it should be the normal in future car production, not an option. With increased gas mileage in city travel, less emissions being put in the air in large urban areas (such as Los Angeles or Orlando), and overall savings (in the long-run), hopefully within our lifetimes we would be able to breathe fresher air.