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Rental Car Options For People With Disabilities
What we stand for when it comes to persons with disabilities:
Finding the right rental car company: For those who have disabilities or special needs, finding a rental company that is able to accommodate these individuals by providing the proper equipment is essential. The car rental companies in Hawaii provide a variety of special equipment for persons with disabilities at no charge, even for a designated surrogate driver. Though the companies don't have every single piece of equipment that mainland outlets have, such as electric mobility scooter rentals, which are available at select locations on the mainland USA.
Can I still rent from Hawaii Car Rentals and get your great rates? Yes, you may still rent from us at Hawaii Car Rentals and get our corporate discount rates and bonuses. Some companies require that you rent directly from them over the phone, like Avis and Budget (see their sections below for the special numbers to give them so you make sure you get our special rates). Enterprise says you can reserve your car with us, then call them back with your reservation number to arrange for your special equipment. In other words, you may have an existing reservation and then call Enterprise to arrange for equipment.
Free Assistive Devices for Renters With Disabilities: Assistive devices, particularly Hand Controls and Spinner Knobs, for individuals with physical challenges are available at no extra charge by Avis, Budget, Dollar, Thrifty and Enterprise. Swivel seats and transfer boards allow a renter to more easily transfer from a wheelchair in and out of a car. The swivel seat allows a passenger or driver to more easily move and turn their body in a car seat.
Avis and Budget offers the most disability equipment choices and options including swivel seats, transfer boards and airport shuttles with wheelchair lifts (at limited locations), which allow easy access to aid those customers with disabilities to go to and from the rental location. They are also called lift vans or buses with wheelchair ramps.
Enterprise, in addition to offering hand controls and spinner knobs, is the only company that supplies left foot accelerators, pedal extensions and seat belt extenders. A spinner knob allows the driver to use one hand and turn the wheel in a full radius.
Special equipment: If a person with a disability is able to drive and has a license, an assortment of options for the driver, along with particular equipment is offered by car rental companies. Hand control-equipped cars are readily available. These must be requested by the customer in advance by contacting the rental car company. Most rental car companies need 24 to 48 hours notice to guarantee the availability and installation of hand controls. With advanced notice there are several other types of equipment available for reservation at most rental car companies. For instance, hand controls and steering wheel spinner knobs are available from all the car companies.
No charge for designated (surrogate) driver for disabled renters : Rental cars are available for renters with specialized needs and who may require a driver for a vehicle. People who have disabilities and are unable to drive, can be the "renter" of a car regardless of whether or not they have a drivers license. For those who need to rent a car, but their disabilities inhibit their ability to drive a car, they can assign and bring along a designated driver / surrogate driver. The disabled renter is responsible for the rental car and the appointed driver must meet all the requirements of the rental car company, including a minimum age requirement. If you are unable to drive, a designated (surrogate) driver that you bring with you can drive the rental car for you. There is no added surcharge fee for your surrogate driver as the so-called "additional driver." If you are disabled and need to have a designated driver accompany and drive the rental car for you, you do not need to have a driver's license, but your designated driver will need to have a valid driver's license, be at least 25 years old, and meet the driver qualifications, and accompany the disabled renter to the location at the same time the car is rented (picked up). The rental car must be reserved in your name and you must present a valid credit card in your name when you pick up the car. You, the disabled non-driving party is financially responsible for the rental car.
Advance notice: Car rental companies usually require 24 to 48 hour lead time for their maintenance facility to install necessary equipment. Since these are all "install as needed" types of requests, customers need to reserve rental cars according to an appropriate size rather than price. For example, if you book a car that is too small and the car rental company installs the hand control into that car, and when you arrive it does not work (too difficult to get in and out of, too low, etc...), you would have to wait 24 hours for them to install it into the size vehicle in which it will actually work. The customer are required to pay the usual rate for any car that is rented.
Car model compatibility: The rental car companies cannot provide assistive devices on all makes or models. Because of the nature of the equipment for people with disabilities, it is only available to be installed on certain car models. We suggest renting a car size that will not only accommodate the equipment, but you will also feel comfortable in and operating. Please contact one of the car rental companies you're planning on renting from to find out what size vehicle is necessary to accommodate special equipment for the disabled. Contact phone numbers are below.
Recommended minimum car size: Because this is an install as needed type of request, the customer should understand they need to reserve a car according to the size they need rather than the lowest price. For example, if you book an Economy, SubCompact or Compact size car, all of which may NOT be large enough or comfortable enough for you, and Enterprise installs the hand control into the car of your choice, and when you arrive it does not work for you (too difficult to get in and out of, too low, etc...), then you would have to wait 24 to 58 hours for Enterprise to install it into the size vehicle that will actually work for you. You will then be required to pay the usual rate for the more expensive vehicle. We urge you to contact Enterprise for suggestions on the minimum car sizes necessary to accommodate your needs.
Even though Hand Controls can be installed in Compact Cars and Convertibles, we recommend the following car sizes: (not necessarily in this order)
Vision impaired - Guide Dog quarantine is no longer required: Guide Dogs and service dogs will no longer be subject to Hawaii Quarantine (with restrictions) - Hawaii agreed to allow pre-certified, vaccinated guide dogs for persons with vision impairments immediate entrance to the State, no longer requiring them to stay in a 120-day quarantine. A guide dog owner is required to demonstrate that the dog is free of rabies through documentation of rabies vaccinations and serological testing. The owner must also have a certification of training from a recognized guide dog school. More information here.
Hawaii Rental Car Companies Who Supply Free Equipment for the Disabled Driver
In 2004, Avis launched "Avis Access," making it the first rental car company offering a comprehensive accessibility program for travelers who are physically challenged with disabilities.
Once Avis gets your equipment request they will pull a vehicle from their fleet according the car class that was reserved. Then they will have their maintenance facility install the necessary equipment. If you rented from a non-airport location, the specially equipped vehicle will be delivered to that location.
Avis Required notice time is:
Avis disability equipment and car rental ordering procedure:
Avis officially offers the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Removal of center and rear van seats: Customers with disabilities who use service animals or personal aids such as wheel chairs or motorized scooters may require additional space for storage. To provide space for the service animal or to facilitate the storage of personal aids in rented vans and minivans, Avis will remove the center and/or rear van seat at no charge.
Designated (Surrogate) driver free
Avis DOES NOT offer the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Once Budget gets your equipment request they will pull a vehicle from their fleet according the car class that was reserved. Then they will have their maintenance facility install the necessary equipment. If you rented from a non-airport location, the specially equipped vehicle will be delivered to that location.
Budget notice time is:
Budget disability equipment and car rental ordering procedure:
Budget officially offers the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Designated (Surrogate) driver - no charge:
Removal of center and rear van seats: Customers with disabilities who use service animals or personal aids such as wheel chairs or motorized scooters may require additional space for storage. To provide space for the service animal or to facilitate the storage of personal aids in rented vans and minivans, Budget will remove the center and/or rear van seat at no charge.
Budget DOES NOT offer the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Once Dollar gets your equipment request they will pull a vehicle from their fleet according the car class that was reserved. Then they will have their maintenance facility install the necessary equipment - subject to availability of the assistive devices, vehicles, and trained installers.
Dollar notice time is:
Dollar disability equipment and car rental ordering procedure:
Dollar officially offers the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Removal of center and rear van seats: Dollar says: Customers with disabilities who use service animals or personal aids such as wheel chairs or motorized scooters may require additional space for storage. To provide space for the service animal or to facilitate the storage of personal aids in rented vans and minivans, Dollar will remove the center and/or rear van seat at no charge if the vehicle is returned to the renting location or a different rental location. If the vehicle is returned to a different rental location, the removed seat will be shipped to the rental location where the van is returned and a shipping fee for the actual cost of shipping the seat will be assessed.
Designated (Surrogate) driver - no additional charge:
Dollar DOES NOT offer the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Once Thrifty gets your equipment request they will pull a vehicle from their fleet according the car class that was reserved. Then they will have their maintenance facility install the necessary equipment - subject to availability of the assistive devices, vehicles, and trained installers.
Thrifty notice time is:
Thrifty disability equipment and car rental ordering procedure:
Thrifty officially offers the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Removal of center and rear van seats: Thrifty says: Customers with disabilities who use service animals or personal aids such as wheel chairs or motorized scooters may require additional space for storage. To provide space for the service animal or to facilitate the storage of personal aids in rented vans and minivans, Thrifty will remove the center and/or rear van seat at no charge if the vehicle is returned to the renting location or a different rental location. If the vehicle is returned to a different rental location, the removed seat will be shipped to the rental location where the van is returned and a shipping fee for the actual cost of shipping the seat will be assessed.
Designated (Surrogate) driver - no added surcharge:
Thrifty DOES NOT offer the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Required notice time is:
Enterprise disability equipment ordering procedure:
Enterprise officially offer the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Hand controls can only be installed in specific car models. For example:
Designated (Surrogate) driver - free
Enterprise DOES NOT offer the following special equipment in Hawaii:
Alternative Transportation for the Disabled:
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Hawaii Car Rentals strongly supports the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against, and promotes public accessibility for,
persons with disabilities.
All the car rental
companies we represent are committed to compliance with the ADA and serving the
people with disabilities
community. The rental car companies we represent have several options available for renters with particular needs and those who may need special equipment. 
To get
Hawaii
Car Rentals' Corporate Discount Rates and Bonuses,
give the booking agent the following numbers:
