Dollar Thrifty Increases Fleet Fuel Efficiency In 2010

US car hire giant Dollar Thrifty Group expects its fleet of hire cars would be about 10 per cent more fuel efficient following recent upgrades for its 2010 fleet.

The company said that over 40 per cent of its 2010 model year purchases were vehicles with highway ratings over 30 miles per gallon.  Only approximately 10 per cent of Dollar Thrifty’s 2009 models purchased reached that mileage threshold.

Dollar Thrifty believes the 10 per cent improvement in the vehicle fleet’s average fuel mileage rating is expected to save customers approximately $35 million in fuel costs, from using 13.5 million fewer gallons of petrol.

The company announced in October that it had diversified its fleet mix for 2010 models across a wider range of cars from different suppliers.  More fuel-efficient models to enter the 2010 fleet include the Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu and Aveo, Nissan Versa and Hyundai Sonata.

This has been as a big shift in focus from a company which traditionally had a fleet consisting of larger and less fuel-efficient models such as Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles.

The US based company’s brands include Dollar Rent a Car and Thrifty Car Rental and have over 600 corporate and franchise locations in the US.