Avis to Begin Offering OnStar(R) Personal Calling
Enhanced Service Offers Renters an Increased Level of Security and Convenience
PARSIPPANY, N.J., June 18 -- As Americans plan to hit the road for summer vacations, Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. is announcing a new product to offer additional safety, security and convenience when traveling. Later this month, Avis will begin to offer the OnStar Personal Calling service as an enhancement to the 7,000 OnStar equipped vehicles already available with either complimentary, "Safe and Sound," or premium "Directions and Connections" level OnStar service.
With OnStar Personal Calling, Avis customers will have the added security and convenience of knowing that hands-free, voice activated cell phone service is available at the touch of a button. The new service provides additional peace of mind in the event a customer is in need of a cell phone, hands-free kit, phone battery, or is traveling in areas of limited reception.
"One of our goals at Avis is to help make travel as stress-free as possible for our customers," said Scott Deaver, executive vice president of marketing for Cendant Car Rental Group, Inc., the parent company of Avis. "With the addition of OnStar Personal Calling to our fleet, Avis customers now have one more way to feel safe when traveling."
The standard OnStar service uses wireless and Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to link the car and driver to a call center where advisors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to provide professional call center advisor assistance. OnStar services include automatic air bag notification, stolen vehicle location, emergency services, roadside assistance, GM Goodwrench remote vehicle diagnostics, remote door unlock, routing and point-of-interest location.
"OnStar Personal Calling allows Avis customers the ability to make cellular calls in a safer hands-free manner whether they are conducting business on the road or leisurely traveling across the nation," said Fritz Beiermeister, executive director of OnStar Business Marketing. "Moreover, OnStar's core safety services provide security and emergency assistance at the push of a button."
OnStar Personal Calling service may be purchased with a major credit card for 30 and 60-minute intervals for $12.99 and $21.99 respectively. To request a vehicle equipped with OnStar Personal Calling, call Avis at 1-888-777-AVIS, visit www.avis.com, or contact your local travel agent.
On a monthly average basis, OnStar responds to 224,000 routing calls, 25,000 remote door unlocks, 13,000 roadside assistance calls, 14,000 remote vehicle diagnostic requests, 400 stolen vehicle locations, 600 airbag deployments and 6,000 emergency calls.
For more information on wireless safety, visit www.avis.com/besensible. About OnStar
OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Corp., is the nation's leading provider of in-vehicle safety, security and information services using the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite network and wireless technology. With more than two million subscribers, OnStar services include automatic notification of air bag deployment, stolen vehicle location, remote door unlock, emergency services dispatch, roadside assistance, GM Goodwrench remote vehicle diagnostics, route support and convenience services. OnStar Personal Calling allows drivers to make, receive and access personalized information all in a hands-free, voice-activated manner using high-powered 3-watt embedded hardware with no screens or displays. Additional information is available at www.onstar.com
About Avis
Avis Rent A Car System, Inc. and its subsidiaries operate the world's second largest general-use car rental brand, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at more than 1,700 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin American / Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world's top brands for customer loyalty, ranking as the number one brand overall among 158 ranked in the 2002 Brand Keys(R) Customer Loyalty Awards. Avis is also the exclusive car rental partner of Upromise(R), the way to save for college. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cendant Corporation , a diversified global provider of business and consumer services primarily within the real estate and travel sectors. For more information visit www.avis.com or www.cendant.com/media.