Are you still getting car rental wrong in 2026?
The final stretch of your travel programme matters more than you think; it's time to get more serious and strategic about car rental.
Most small and medium businesses spend time searching for flights and accommodation. Car rental? It gets booked last, thought about least and reviewed almost never.
Yet anyone who travels regularly for work knows that car rental issues can really ramp up your stress levels (especially at the end of a long journey). It’s also where money can leak out of your travel budget.
We spoke to Nelius Vermaak, National Manager: B2C Sales at Europcar South Africa, about what is actually happening in corporate car rental right now – and what businesses should be doing differently.
1. Stop booking ad hoc
If you are still booking car rental ad hoc, it is probably costing you more than you realise – and not just in rand terms, but in time, admin and missed savings.
Treating car rental as part of a managed travel programme changes that immediately. Negotiated corporate rates, consolidated billing and visibility over where your people are on the ground are all benefits that come with a structured approach, and if you are working with a travel management company much of that groundwork is already done for you.
A few simple steps make a real difference:
- Set a default vehicle class – economy or compact for standard trips – and require sign-off for upgrades (with a little room manoeuvre, as 2026 requires nothing if not flexibility and a sense of humour).
- Make sure every traveller books through the agreed channel so savings and data do not fall through the cracks.
Use a central payment method to simplify reconciliation and keep travel spend visible.
“Some of the quickest gains in a travel programme come from consolidating spend with a preferred supplier, selecting the appropriate vehicle category and ensuring travellers consistently utilise negotiated corporate rates.”– Nelius Vermaak, National Sales Manager, Europcar South Africa
2. Factor in rising fuel costs
Fuel prices in car rental are borne by the renter, not the supplier. In other words, rising prices do not automatically push up your rental rate – but they will cost you at the pump.
That makes vehicle selection more important than you might think. A few practical considerations:
- Opt for fuel-efficient vehicles as a default, particularly for longer trips where running costs add up quickly.
- Hybrid vehicles are increasingly the pragmatic choice for South African businesses – cleaner and greener than petrol or diesel options but without the range anxiety that’s still very real in South Africa.
- Always return your rental vehicle with a full tank where required. Fuel policies differ between suppliers and countries, and travellers should familiarise themselves with these conditions before collecting their vehicle. Returning a vehicle without the required fuel level can result in additional charges, particularly in international markets
- Factor in the full cost of a trip – fuel, tolls and parking – not just the base rental rate. That is where budget surprises usually come from.
“Businesses often focus on the rental rate alone, but the total cost of mobility extends beyond the daily rental charge. Fuel, tolls, parking and vehicle selection all contribute to the overall cost of a trip, and that's where some of the biggest savings opportunities can be found” – Nelius Vermaak
3. Treat ground transport as part of your duty of care
Duty of care in business travel is increasingly understood to cover the full journey. For SMEs without a dedicated travel manager, ground transportation is often the biggest gap in the framework.
When employees book rental vehicles outside any agreed process (on price alone or through unfamiliar providers), the business loses visibility and assumes risk it may not even be aware of. A few steps that close that gap:
- Use a preferred supplier with a known safety record and reliable roadside assistance, particularly for travel in unfamiliar areas.
- Ensure your travel programme covers car rental explicitly: vehicle class, insurance requirements and what to do when something goes wrong.
- Make sure travelling employees know the policy. Compliance improves significantly when people understand why the rules exist, not just what they are.
“Working with trusted travel and mobility partners, maintaining visibility of traveller movements and having clear travel policies all contribute to both cost control and traveller safety simultaneously.” – Nelius Vermaak
4. Embrace technology
Technology is increasingly shaping the travel experience, often in ways travellers don't immediately notice. From digital booking tools and automated check-in processes to improved fleet management and customer support, technology is helping make business travel more efficient, predictable and convenient.
For SMEs, the most immediately useful technology tends to be simpler: Faster vehicle collection, and frequent traveller programmes that reduce friction on repeat trips.
A few things worth setting up:
- Take advantage of digital check-in and pre-registration services where available. Frequent travellers can significantly reduce collection times and spend less time waiting at rental counters.
- Check whether your corporate account includes a roadside assistance benefit – it is the kind of thing you only need once, but you really need it when you do.
"The real opportunity lies in using technology to support people, rather than replace them. The human element remains critical, particularly when travellers need assistance, flexibility or problem-solving during their journey." – Nelius Vermaak
5. Build flexibility into your ground transport – not just your flights
The ripple effects of Middle East disruption have been most visible in the air, but they have landed on the ground too. As airlines reroute and itineraries shift, businesses are increasingly turning to self-drive rentals and chauffeured point-to-point services to maintain productivity and keep travel costs under control.
Vermaak is candid about what Europcar is seeing: businesses are becoming more value-conscious, planning more carefully and looking for greater value – but the need to travel has not diminished. Face-to-face engagement still matters, and mobility remains an essential part of making those connections happen.
Flexibility is not just about being able to amend a booking. It is also about having a travel programme that is pragmatic enough to adapt when circumstances change. Review your arrangements regularly. Routes, supplier offerings and your own travel patterns evolve: a policy that made sense a year ago may no longer reflect how your team actually travels.
“Flexibility remains one of the biggest priorities for travellers. Customers want simple booking processes, transparent pricing and mobility solutions that fit changing business requirements. We are particularly optimistic about the continued recovery and growth of both domestic business travel and inbound tourism, which continue to create opportunities across the mobility sector. Businesses are travelling with purpose, and mobility remains an essential part of enabling those connections.” – Nelius Vermaak
Car rental is perhaps not the most glamorous part of travel programmes. But for businesses that get it right, it is one of the most rewarding – in cost savings, traveller experience and peace of mind.
About Flight Centre Travel Group
The Flight Centre Travel Group is one of the world’s largest travel retailers and corporate travel managers. The company, which is headquartered in Brisbane, Australia, has company-owned leisure and corporate travel business in dozens of countries, spanning Australia, New Zealand, the Americas, Europe, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Asia. ASX listed Flight Centre Travel Group (FLT) also operates the global FCM corporate travel management network, which extends to more than 100 countries through company-owned businesses and independent licensees, along with Corporate Traveller, the flagship business specific to the small-to-medium-sized enterprise sector. For more information, visit fctgl.com.
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