University employees needing short-term transportation will soon be using a new service from Facilities Services. This August, the Carolina Motor Pool will transition to Enterprise Rent-a-Car, a change which will provide more options for staff and cost savings to the University.
On Sept. 1, 2015, the State of North Carolina entered into a contract with Enterprise and Hertz rental car agencies for the state’s short-term rentals. This decision was based upon the favorable contract terms regarding cost, convenience and the use of newer and more efficient vehicles. On Jan. 15, 2016, N.C. Motor Fleet Management eliminated its short-term rental program, consisting of approximately 200 vehicles, and referred their customers to the two rental agencies.
The UNC Fleet Management Department conducted its own on-campus analysis, comparing trips by Carolina Motor Pool (CMP) customers to Enterprise Rent-a-Car. The results indicated that the majority of the trips cost less with an Enterprise vehicle. The analysis also indicated that CMP has vehicles that have over 100,000 miles, and CMP’s rate structure is not set up to provide funds to replace high-mileage vehicles.
Other benefits of using Enterprise include:
- Vehicles can be picked up at any rental location, eliminating the need to come to campus first;
- Rental locations are open on Saturday, and some locations have Sunday hours;
- Vehicles are less than three years old;
- Enterprise has an unlimited inventory of vehicles;
- Insurance is included in the cost of the rental;
- Enterprise offers free pick-up service;
- There are unlimited miles on all vehicle classes;
- There are no underage or additional driver’s fees;
- Enterprise offers monthly rental discounts.
The transition from Carolina Motor Pool to Enterprise Rent-a-Car is scheduled to be completed by Aug. 15, 2016. Reservations that are already scheduled with the CMP will automatically be transferred to the local Enterprise office if they begin after that date.
Detailed information about making reservations, billing information and other logistics will be shared soon, and will also be posted on the UNC Facilities Services website.
Darius Dixon, executive director of facilities operations, says that no University staff will be laid off due to this transition, and current staff will be assigned new roles within the fleet department. The fleet department will also manage the relationship between the University and Enterprise. “The Carolina Motor Pool staff have enjoyed working with each and every one of our customers over the years,” said Dixon. “They have strived to provide a great experience for each customer, and are confident that this new relationship with Enterprise will continue this.”
Contact Fleet Management with questions or concerns:
Mark Stark, University Fleet Manager, 919-966-2967, mstark@facilities.unc.edu
Alice Moore, Administrative Support Specialist, 919-962-6676, alice.moore@facilities.unc.edu