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Alamo Rent A Car history
Alamo Rent A Car company history timeline
Alamo began operations in 1974 with 1,000 cars at four Florida locations.
Founded in 1974, Alamo offers low rental rates and a fun, hassle-free customer experience at the most popular travel destinations throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Pacific Rim.
Established in 1974, Alamo grew rapidly to become a significant presence in the rental-car industry.
In 1978, after MacArthur died, Egan and several others bought the firm and began turning attention to markets overlooked by the more established car rental companies, starting with the vacation traveler.
Sales in 1979--the first full year under the Egan group's ownership--reached $30 million, and the company grew to 11 locations.
In 1980 Alamo expanded beyond Florida, entering two major leisure markets by purchasing the California company Trans Rent-A-Car and gaining operating rights in Hawaii.
In 1981 Alamo made a tentative move to commercial sales, experimenting with an on-airport facility in Atlanta, Georgia.
Loomis, Carol J., "The Rumble in Rental Cars," Fortune, March 7, 1983.
In June 1984 the Florida attorney general charged Alamo with using "bait and switch" tactics and charging customers for unnecessary insurance.
"Hit 'Em First," Forbes, July 30, 1984.
Alamo was generating $125 million a year in business and was projecting $175 million for 1984.
In 1984 Alamo moved more decisively into the business market, which accounted for 65 percent of the $4.4-billion-a-year car rental market.
Ellis, James E., "Small Fry Start Nipping at the Whales of Auto Rental," Business Week, August 31, 1987.
In 1989 Alamo's revenues were more than $500 million a year.
By 1991 Alamo had 100,000 cars at or near 92 of the busiest United States airports.
Bryant, Adam, "Alamo Rent A Car Offering Uniform Rates Nationwide," New York Times, April 21, 1992.
In 1993 Alamo added a strategic location in Los Angeles, considered the world's largest rental car market, along with several other on-airport locations in Palm Springs, San Francisco, Dallas, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and metro locations in Atlanta, Chicago, and Minneapolis.
According to the Automotive Fleet Factbook, industry figures for leased or rented automobiles hit 4.86 million for 1993, with business and corporate leasing as the top form of auto renting/leasing with 44.6 percent of the market.
By 1995 Alamo had opened in another major venue, Chicago's O'Hare airport (the company already had a station at Midway), while expanding globally into Greece, Portugal, and the Czech Republic, and adding more sites in the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In 1998 Alamo promotions included a memorable national television advertising campaign from Foote, Cone & Belding New York called "Drive Happy." The ads incorporated the tune of Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" and included a tie-in to a merchandise giveaway.
In August 2001 ANC announced its intention to seek a buyer or a third-party investor.
Stieghorst, Tom, "National Car Rental Seeks Buyer or Bailout," South Florida Sun-Sentinel, August 5, 2001.
In addition, Alamo, along with other travel-related industries, benefited from a steady increase in United States air travel during the years following decline after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against the United States.
Dillon, Nancy, "Car Rental Giant Files for Bankruptcy," New York Daily News, November 14, 2001.
Danner, Patrick, "ANC Rental Wins Approval for Bankruptcy," Miami Herald, June 19, 2003.
In late 2003, ANC Rental sold Alamo and National to the newly created company Vanguard Car Rental USA. The purchase was funded by Cerberus Capital Management, a private investment group based in New York, which paid $230 million for the two divisions.
During the summer of 2006, Vanguard announced plans to sell $300 million in common stock as part of an initial public offering.
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Alamo Rent A Car competitors
| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Car Rental | 1947 | $46.0M | 125 | - |
| Payless Car Rental | 1971 | $13.3M | 65 | 1 |
| Budget Rent Car | 1958 | $3.2B | 26,300 | 1 |
| Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group | 1989 | $1.5B | 7,500 | - |
| BookIt.com | 2004 | $22.5M | 75 | - |
| Ocean Canyon Properties | 2007 | $7.5M | 88 | 13 |
| Grand Crowne Resorts | - | $49.9M | 720 | - |
| Viking River | 1997 | $124.5M | 5,000 | 22 |
| All Seasons Travel | - | $510,000 | 7 | 1 |
| Beverly Hill Car Rental | - | $1.1M | 7 | - |
Alamo Rent A Car history FAQs
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Alamo Rent A Car may also be known as or be related to Alamo Rent A Car, Alamo Rent A Car LLC, Alamo Rent A Car, LLC, Alamo Rent a Car and Alamo Rent-A-Car LLC.