Important guide to finding reliable car rental firm

For business travelers, renting a vehicle is an indispensable part of their trips, especially when they visit a city or a country that they have never visited before.

Almost all big cities, including Jakarta, offer a lot of choices for car rental companies. Although it may be easy to select the type of car you want to rent, finding a reliable and credible company is somehow more difficult.

The first step you have to make before you start your visit is to get information from your business partners about renting cars in that city. It would also be a good idea to ask for a recommendation on which car rental company is suitable for you. The most practical way would be to let your partners arrange it for you.

Even the most savvy traveler would have to suffer through the realities of renting a vehicle: delayed airport shuttles, long lines at the counter and lost reservations. Most business travelers do not have the luxury of a car service that picks them up at the airport and drops them off stress-free downtown.

Below is an essential guide to help ensure that your next car rental experience goes smoothly. The tips were taken from the Internet's leading business information provider, About Inc's travel guide website businesstravel.about.com. - The best way to avoid rent-a-car hassles is to avoid renting a car in the first place. Do you absolutely need your own wheels or can you use public transportation, shuttles or taxis to get you and your party where you want to go? Conference resorts cater to the nondriver. - In many cities, a variety of transportation services are available to take you to conference destinations -- at a fraction of the cost of renting a car. If your final destination is an urban center, weigh the taxi fares against the costs for parking, possible parking tickets and the trouble you may have negotiating unfamiliar streets. - Membership has its privileges. No doubt about it -- if you are going to rent cars, you should join a car rental's frequent traveler program. While upgrades and frequency points are terrific, one of the best benefits you receive with some is the ability to bypass lines. Car rental companies want the frequent flyer's business. Once you pick one that suits your needs -- try to stick with it. - Review your company's travel policy. Does your company restrict the type of car you can rent? Will the expense for renting a SUV or convertible be rejected by the accounting department? Before you rent, make sure you know what will and won't be approved. Some companies may cover a car rental expense over the weekend if that means a lower airfare for the business trip. - Reserve ahead of time and try to arrive early in the day. Again, it helps if you are a preferred customer -- but always try to make your reservation as soon as possible. Write down the confirmation number and verify the class of car and guaranteed rate. If possible, try to get the information from the company in writing through your corporate travel department. One day or even hours prior to your trip, verify the reservation again. Even with a confirmed reservation, you may be out of luck if you arrive late in the day when cars have just turned over. - It's always a dilemma for travelers -- do you really need the optional loss or collision damage waiver (LDW/CDW)? Understand your company travel policy about CDW. If you use a personal credit card for business expenses, check to see if it covers collision and liability for rentals. It may, but some cards don't cover certain vehicle types, long-term rentals or rentals in some countries. Extra insurance fees can really add up, but so can the cost of an accident. - Should you gas up now or later? Or should you prepay for gas? It depends. Understand your company policy and the price implications. If you think you will be running late or trying to catch the last flight home, check off the fuel prepayment option. Review all of the rates before you sign the contract. - Sign up additional drivers on the spot. If you're sharing the driving duty with a business colleague, make sure they are listed as an additional driver before leaving the parking lot. You'll find that most car rental companies have a policy where coworkers can sign on for free. Don't skip this step -- only authorized drivers should be behind the wheel in rental cars -- or you'll be liable if there's a problem. - Study the exterior of the car. Take a few minutes to look over the car before pulling out. Check for scratches and dents. If you find anything, be sure to get this documented. If there is a line at the counter inside, have this documented at the gate leaving the lot. You will be held liable for car damage, unless it is written down. Don't get stuck paying for a stranger's damage. Look at the tires and check out the brakes and lights. If the car is unsafe -- change it -- no matter how late you're running for your next meeting. - Familiarize yourself with the car's interior and control panel. Get the air just right and find your kind of music on the radio. You don't want to be searching for the windshield wipers while you're doing 65 in a sudden downpour. If the car has antilock brakes -- and more than 50 percent of today's rental fleets do -- practice braking before heading out on the highway. - Know where you are going. Many overconfident business travelers leave the lot without a clue as to how to get to where they are going. If you haven't been to the location before, get directions and a map first. --- The Jakarta Post