Enterprise Holdings Supports National League of Cities' Call for Local Transportation Investment

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Holdings is announcing support for the National League of Cities' effort to champion local infrastructure investments and spur economic growth across the country. Among its 2014 priorities, the NLC has requested long-term investments in local transportation, stating:  "NLC urges Congress to authorize a new, long-term federal surface transportation program that recognizes the central role of transportation to metropolitan and regional economies and includes local voices in planning and project selection…."

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As the world's largest car rental company, Enterprise Holdings owns and operates the National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands as well as its flagship Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand. The Enterprise Rent-A-Car network – which includes car rental, car leasing, vanpooling and car sharing – is an integral part of the country's local transportation infrastructure, with more than 5,500 neighborhood and airport rental locations located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population.

Enterprise has been delivering transportation alternatives right where people live and work since 1957, an early example of today's "collaborative consumption" trend. Today, the Enterprise network provides affordable and accessible transportation options to consumers, including those who rely on mass transit during the week in large urban markets, and those who simply cannot afford to purchase or maintain a vehicle on their own.

In fact, Enterprise trademarked the term Virtual Car®, after recognizing the long-term impact of a sustainable neighborhood-based business model – and even featured the "virtual car" concept in a newspaper ad as early as 1997. The Enterprise car-rental and car-sharing network also is unique in its ability to support local citizens, businesses and government leaders as they develop long-term transportation plans and advocate a more sustainable future for their hometowns.

"Convenient, reasonably priced transportation is a fundamental asset at the grassroots level, and vital to the continued growth and success of our nation's cities," said Ray Wagner, Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for Enterprise Holdings.

To support additional dialogue around this issue, Enterprise Holdings last year sponsored a special report, titled "Next Stop, Innovation:  What's Ahead for Urban Mobility?", with the Wharton Initiative for Environmental Global Leadership. The study provides an update on how cities are expanding their options for alternative and cleaner transportation to help inform the decisions of transportation providers and policy makers looking to revitalize transportation infrastructures.

Disaster Recovery
Recognizing the critical importance of local transportation in effective disaster recovery efforts, Enterprise likewise is supporting the NLC's renewed focus on helping communities better prepare for such events and further enhance their resilience.

Private sector companies operating at the local level, like Enterprise, often play a role in disaster recovery. For instance, even before Hurricane Sandy made landfall in 2012, Enterprise started responding to requests for vehicles from the Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), local utilities and other government agencies.

After the storm subsided, first responders as well as insurance companies had the necessary vehicles to immediately begin the recovery effort. These efforts not only were recognized in Government Executive magazine, but also in an NLC article, noting:  "Enterprise Rent-A-Car … has become a go-to source for meeting the day-to-day mobility needs of communities and the critical mobility needs in the wake of natural disasters and emergency situations."

For more information on how Enterprise Holdings is working to better serve communities, visit www.enterpriseholdings.com/sustainability/.

About Enterprise Holdings
Enterprise Holdings and its affiliate Enterprise Fleet Management together offer a total transportation solution. Combined, these businesses include extensive car rental and car-sharing services, commercial truck rental, corporate fleet management and retail car sales. Enterprise Holdings, through its regional subsidiaries, operates the largest fleet of vehicles in the world through a global network under the Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental and Alamo Rent A Car brands. Its affiliate, Enterprise Fleet Management, provides full-service fleet management to companies and organizations with small- to medium-sized fleets. Other transportation services marketed under the Enterprise brand name include Enterprise CarShare, Enterprise Rideshare, Enterprise Car Sales and Enterprise Commercial Trucks.

SOURCE Enterprise Holdings