When did Dollar Rent A Car, Inc. begin offering franchises for Dollar Businesses?
Dollar_Rent_A_Car Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
We, ourselves or through our affiliates, have operated the type of Dollar Businesses (as defined below) described in the Disclosure Document since 1965. We have offered franchises for Dollar Businesses described in this Disclosure Document since January 1, 2003. We have neither conducted, nor offered franchises in, any other line of business.
Parents
We are a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. ("DTG"), which was incorporated in Delaware in 1997. DTG is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rental Car Group Company, LLC ("RCGC"), which was formed in Delaware in 2015. RCGC is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of The Hertz Corporation (the "Parent"), which was incorporated in Delaware in 1967.
Source: Item 1 — THE FRANCHISOR AND ANY PARENTS, PREDECESSORS, AND AFFILIATES (FDD pages 9–20)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Dollar Rent A Car Franchise Disclosure Document, Dollar Rent A Car, Inc. began offering franchises for Dollar Businesses on January 1, 2003. Prior to this date, from August 1991 to January 1, 2003, Dollar Rent A Car's affiliate, DTG Operations, Inc., offered and sold licenses for vehicle rental, leasing, and parking businesses under the Dollar Rent A Car marks. DTG Operations no longer offers these licenses.
It's important to note that the term 'licensee' may appear in the FDD, which has the same meaning as 'franchisee'. This indicates a shift in terminology but no change in the actual relationship between Dollar Rent A Car and its franchise operators.
For prospective franchisees, this means that the franchising system under Dollar Rent A Car, Inc. has been in place since 2003. Understanding the history of licensing under DTG Operations, Inc. might be relevant for understanding the evolution of the Dollar Rent A Car franchise model, and a prospective franchisee may want to ask about the transition from DTG Operations to Dollar Rent A Car, Inc.