Pub. 1 2018-2019 |Issue 3

17 Unfortunately, however, the airport is often located in a place that was se- lected specifically because it has room for runways, not because it is easy or quick to get to. Let’s assume you are persistent and you really do need that rental car. You go online and make a reservation for the least-expensive car you can find. You can’t find anything close, so you opt for the airport. What happens next? Your plans change and you need to cancel. Turns out you have to navigate the system to find someone who can actually cancel the reserva- tion, but canceling is not necessarily a simple thing to do. Some automated phone systems won’t let you actually talk to a human being, and none of the choices fit your needs. If you do reach an actual human being, that human being is likely to tell you that they don’t have the authority to cancel your reservation, and that you need to contact a different company instead. The websites aren’t transparent, either. You eventually find out that company headquarters (and the person who can help you) are in, say, London. Two hours later, frustrated and tired, you still might not have a cancellation. But you stick with the problem, and you finally set up a rental. Let’s assume the day arrives and you are actually at a car rental agency, ready to go. Expect to wait longer than you want while someone gets the paperwork ready. Eventually, you will get a set of keys and be on your way, but the entire transaction is difficult. Are there any other options for getting a short-term car rental? Theoretically, yes. Several businesses have been trying out potential business models in major cities throughout the U.S. But if you happen to live in a place like Salt Lake City, then those business models are not being tested here. You could give Uber or Lyft a try, even in Utah. But you’ll be driven by a stranger, and that stranger might or might not be avail- able when you actually need a ride, or care that you might be headed some- where important, like a family funeral. You’ll get there when you get there. Too often, the whole thing can be a miserable experience. That’s why it of- fers such a great business opportunity. Enter Mark Miller Subaru, which is cur- rently being run by Mark Miller’s son Jeff Miller. Subaru, which is a rapidly growing brand, has been looking for ways to improve its car loaner pro- gram, and Jeff suggested getting into the rental business. Subaru had been reluctant to get too deeply into the rental market in the past, because the company was concerned about devaluing its brand. Maintaining the brand’s value, therefore, was an important Continued on page 18