Car rental in the US

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To realize the dream of a road trip across the United States – what could be more exciting! You can drive through the whole American continent, beginning the path to the west and to reach  to the eastern edge, or the other way round.

Where to start in New Jersey or Los Angeles – the choice is yours. One thing is clear – this trip will remain in the memories of a lifetime. And your dream of car excursion located throughout the United States will help to realize the company providing car rental which is situated everywhere.

Car rental in the United States – is the simpler of simply

Find and rent a car is very easy. And the choice of models and prices, and conditions of the lease are able to satisfy any request and budget.

Provide cars in rent in the US the rental company directly, and mediators – brokers, which collect proposals from different companies. Selection of brokers more wide, and the prices are much lower.

How much is the average car rental in the US

$ 70 – the estimated amount that will have to pay up to 1 day rental car with characteristics:

  • middle class;
  • automatic transmission;
  • a built-in air conditioning.
  • GPS

The place of disposition rented car

If specified that you can get the vehicle at the airport, it does not mean that it’s there. When you arriving at the airport, look for parking of the shuttle that will take you to the office of rental company. This service is free.

Sometimes it happens when you want to issue permission to leave the car outside the state. This information must be defined when concordance of lease terms take place.

The list of documents and insurance payments

To rent a car in the United States need a passport with a valid visa, the right to drive (“plastic” is enough), and credit or debit card.

If you enrol an order on site of distributor or broker, the card number is not required. Enter your:

  • Full name;
  • email;
  • physical adress;

There are some nuance associated with age, which can increase the costs of registrationIf the driver is younger than 25 years, will demanding to pay tax “young driver”.

There are companies that limit the lower lath on age and not give a car to rent persons younger than 21 years or even 18 years.

Usually in the basic of rental tariff included:

  • Insurance SLI (insurance your liability to third parties);
  • Insurance CDW / LDW (basic insurance against theft and damages which is analogue native hull insurance. If you have a credit card Class Gold, many banks provide it at their own expense);
  • unlimited mileage (sometimes the rental rules prohibit from entering in some states);
  • taxes to the local budget.

In some car rental agencies initially insurance charge are not included.

Additional payments may be as follows:

  • services of additional insurance (policy PAE / PPP health insurance, which will not be needed if you have it already);
  • surcharge for the second driver, if it is (often if another driver is the husband / wife, a surcharge for it will not charged);
  • GPS rent (if the car is rented for a long time, GPS is cheaper to buy);
  • rental card EZ Pass – a special card for automatic payment of toll roads, to save time on entry and exit.
  • rental car seats for small children.

It is important: the rental period is accounted each twenty-four hours which is starting at 12:00 in afternoon (12 am) that day 12:00 to the next. That is, if you take a car at 10 am and return it an hour later than noon, in your lease term will be added one more twenty-four hours period.

When you register cars from the card will take down prepayment to no more 30% of the accrued amount. The entire amount you will pay at the end when you brought the car back.

Petrol and gas stations

Almost for all rental cars in the United States is suitable the Regular gasoline. It’s bulk measured in gallons. In one gallon of about 3.79 liters.

Prices within one state is not much different. With gas stations automats you can be paid via credit card, and what to do – all detailed instructions are gives on the luminous display.

Some automats ask to specify a zip code place where the credit card was issued. In this case, you can not pay by card, refer to the cashier for the cash.

Upon delivery of the car in rent there is always a full tank of gasoline in it. When returning you must bring back just the same full tank. So as soon as you took the rented car immediately worry about finding the nearest place where you can refuel. Or you can always make use of service Fuel Service.

1 gallon of gasoline is about 2.5 to 3 dollars (as on August 2015). All actual prices for fuel in the US can be found here.

What rules of the road you can drive a rented car in the US

Traffic rules and the amount of fines for it violations, as well as the price per liter of gasoline and for the parking service fee vary depending of the state that you move. But do not worry too much, the basic standarts of road traffic remain unchanged.

American street signs have some differences. Conventional designations duplicated by inscriptions, and sometimes consist only of the inscriptions.

Often encountered street signs on American roads:

  • Speed Limit – speed limiter (in miles);
  • Do not pass – not pass;
  • Road closed – road closed;
  • One way – one-way traffic;
  • Wrong way – to move in this direction is prohibited;
  • No motor vehicles – traffic is prohibited;
  • Road work ahead – road work ahead.

Children under 6 years can not be transported without special fastening device. In Washington DC and 26 states the obligation to wear a seat belt lies on all car passengers and driver. According to the rules of other states the fastening is not necessary.

Light short-range should be lit all times. Talk on mobile while driving car is forbidden in almost all states. To carry unsealed bottles of alcoholic drinks in the car cabin is forbidden.

Overtaking a school bus that take or set down the children is prohibited. Seeing the bus standing at the side of the road with burning red signals, you must stop, no matter in which direction you was riding before this.

Range of permissible speeds in the United States:

In populated areas (commercial, residential area, business / residence district) – up to 25 miles per hour.

Motorway (intercity highway, freeway) – from 55 to 75 miles per hour.

Living Area (alleys, lanes, alley) – up to 15 miles per hour.

The system of fines on the road

If the American policeman stopped your car, it is not necessary to get out from it. Sit inside and keep your hands on the steering wheel. Guardian of the order itself will come to you, ask to produce documents and check them out at the same time he voiced yours violation, after that he write out a receipt for payment of the fine.

All the fines must be paid by credit card in the Internet or a bank. It is prohibited to take a fine on the spot by patrol service employees in the United States.

Permitted alcohol content in the driver blood by the American norms must not exceed 0.08 ppm.

If you exceed the speed, you will be fined in the amount of $ 70 to $ 500.

If you ride on the side of the road – you will be fined $ 450.

If you took the parking place for the people with disabilities – you will pay $ 250.

You forget to buckle up – will be owes fifty dollars to budget US.

Drunk driving and creating a dangerous situation for the policeman entails to deprivation of rights, sizeable fine and in the presence of the most severe consequences can lead to imprisonment.

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Toll roads and bridges

Toll road – toll roads in the United States. To pay for travel on the toll road is required to move out onto the auxiliary track located on the side of the main road.

In rental company will be offering to you the device EZ Pass. This gadget help you do not waste the time for stop for such a payment. Inside the small box mounted magnetic key that is triggered when traveling through a special cash-arch which is equipped by reader of information. For sucessful payment operation you should drive up to the speed indicated on the sign which is hanging here (from 5 to 35 miles per hour). EZ Pass account can be replenished with money as an ordinary bank card.

ez

The fare for toll roads in different states varies. Position-finding valuations for the use of toll routes can be found here.

Advantages of riding on toll roads:

  • a large number of one-way traffic lanes with a concrete fence (3 to 6 lanes);
  • many small gas stations with shops and toilets;
  • increased speed limit and absence of traffic lights, that because toll roads are usually located away from the living area, where is no saturated flow of people;
  • sometimes excreted special lanes for light and heavy transport.

Parking in the city area

You can leave your car in the United States only in designated parking areas. Can you park in the location you choose or not,can be determined by the color of the curb side of the road.

park-h

White curb  – means that you can park for a short time, which occupies embarking or disembarking passengers.

Green curb – allows parking on the amount of time specified on the road sign or on this same curb.

Yellow curb – allows to stop for the purpose  get in / get out from the car for a limited time.

Red curb – means that the parking is forbidden.

Blue color of curb – only handicapped have the right for the parking.

Service of parking is rather expensive. The cities where the cost of parking is record high:

  • New York,
  • Chicago,
  • Boston,
  • Seattle;
  • Honolulu;
  • Los Angeles,
  • San Francisco,
  • District of Columbia (Washington)

The average (across the country) cost of parking the car for a couple of hours is about $ 4 a day – from $ 10

Free parking can be found near major shopping centers and restaurants.

Offices car rental in the US

  • Rental Companies:
  • Enterprise,
  • Alamo,
  • Thrifty,
  • Budget,
  • National Car;
  • Avis,
  • Hertz.

Rental brokers:

  • CarRentals,
  • Economy Car Rentals,

Now that you know all about car rental together with the nuances of the local rules of the road in the US, you will not find yourself in an awkward situation, avoid unnecessary costs and will feel on American roads almost like at home.

Life in America 1 Comment

One thought on “Car rental in the US

  • Wednesday March 22nd, 2017 at 09:33 AM
    Permalink

    Добрый день!
    не написано как и где автомобиль сдается обратно.
    если арендовать машину в одном штате, возвращать обратно в другом.
    возможно ли это? и на каких условиях

    Reply

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