Hertz Eliminates Travel Agency Base Commissions on Corporate and Government 'Negotiated Rate' Rentals

PARK RIDGE, N.J., April 3 -- Effective immediately, The Hertz Corporation has eliminated base commissions paid to travel agents on car rentals, booked after April 4, 2002, primarily for U.S. and Canadian corporate and government accounts with individually negotiated rate programs. The change does not affect travel agency commissions for leisure car rentals, or for business rentals by other corporations and associations that do not have individually negotiated rate arrangements. Travel agency override and bonus programs, for all business and leisure rentals, are not affected.

If a travel agency anywhere in the world books rentals for a customer with an individually negotiated rate program, no base commission will be paid to the travel agency for rentals in the U.S. or Canada. Also, no base commission will be paid to U.S. and Canadian travel agents for outbound rentals for customers with negotiated rate arrangements.

The Company attributed the change in commission policy to continued weak travel demand, and the need to further reduce costs without affecting customer service. The Company noted that rates in negotiated programs are currently at 1991 levels while CPI inflation has increased by more than 30% over the same period.

Travel agents interested in more details can log onto the Frequently Asked Questions section of http://www.hertzagent.com, and receive additional information in their DRS. There are also details provided at http://www.hertz.com.

Hertz is the world's largest car rental company, operating from over 7000 locations in more than 150 countries. Hertz is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company.