Rental Car Shortage Caused By Sandy Frustrates Travelers In Philadelphia
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Rental cars have been hard to find in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. But the shortage may ease in a few days.
"Many people lost their vehicles either permanently or temporarily because of the storm," says Jenny Robinson of AAA whose rental car branch has been severely depleted. "They've needed to rent cars so that's increased the demand greatly. As well as all the relief and utility workers in the area who may also need rental cars."
It's been a frustrating week for travellers such as Andy Kukic of Denver.
"I called all the various locations in the Philadelphia area and this one came up as having cars."
But it turned out that the rental agencies at 30th Street Station were out of vehicles, leaving Kukic and others out of luck.
"They should be more upfront about the thing. They should tell you what's going on and how things are supposed to be happening not just have you come to town, take a train all the way to here without letting you know anything."
Sandy damaged countless vehicles. Add to that the demand for rental vehicles from utilities and first responders and you have a shortage of epic proportions, spanning the east coast from New England to the Nation's Capital.
However, industry analysts say the shortage should begin to ease by this weekend and there should be no problems finding rental vehicles in time for Thanksgiving.
