Rental Vehicle Firms Prospering

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30900, 5 November 1965, Page 12

Rental Vehicle Firms Prospering

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Nov. 4. The initiative and enterprise of New Zealand rental vehicle firms had shown that it need not fear overseas domination, the Commissioner of Transport (Mr R. J. Polaschek) said to the New Zealand Rental Vehicle Proprietors' Association at its annual meeting in Auckland. Mr Polaschek said the rental vehicle industry filled an important need in the community and the demand for it continued to grow. Statistics for the year ending March 31, 1965, showed the industry had continued to prosper. The average mileage a vehicle had increased to 11,529 from 10,815 the previous year and the estimated total revenue earned went up from £1.5 million to £1.9 million.

Mr Polaschek congratulated the association on its role in the tourist trade and its record in vehicle maintenance. “For the year ended March 31, 1965, rental vehicle operators held first place as far as vehicle fitness was concerned. Sixty-seven per cent of your hire vehicles examined by the Transport Department’s vehicle inspectors were found to be completely free from defect. This is a very high standard indeed." Regrettably, the commissioner said, the accident rate for rental vehicles was far too high. He realised that the individual operator was not to blame for the deplorable record.

Last year 197 rental cars were involved in accidents and in 133 cases their drivers were considered primarily to blame.

Mr Polaschek said that the high proportion of young

drivers involved in rental vehicle accidents was also a matter of concern. Of the 133 rental car drivers who were considered to blame for the accidents, more than half were aged 23 or under.