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Consolidated rental car facility
A consolidated rental car facility (CRCF) is a complex that hosts numerous rental car agencies. They are often found at airports in the United States. The incentive for building consolidated facilities are numerous, including: less congestion on surface streets, more convenience for rental car company employees, greater efficiencies for rental car companies, and numerous environmental benefits from reduced emissions to consolidated, professionally managed fueling stations. Typical services to the rental car companies include onsite offices, fueling, car wash, car prep (vacuums, windshield wiper fluids, and trash services), and light maintenance areas.
Contents
A CRCF may include the following areas: Customer Service Area/Building (CSA/CSB); Garage or "ready/return" areas; and back of house prepping areas or "Quick-Turn-Around" (QTA) stations.
Planned CRCFs
On May 21, 2015, Chicago's O'Hare International Airport broke ground on a consolidated rental car and public parking facility, a $782 million project which will result in 4,200 rental car company spaces and 2,600 public parking spaces. The project is expected to be completed in 2018.
Also in the final stages of construction are CRCFs located in San Antonio, Texas, and Salt Lake City, Utah. They all plan on opening to the public in late 2015 to early 2016.
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport is preparing and planning for its new CRCF after Terminal 2 is demolished in December 2015, with work schedule to commence shortly thereafter.
Criticism
Consolidated rental car facilities often result in higher rental car fees, long distances between facilities and the airports they serve, and frustration over consolidated rental car shuttles, which can be crowded.