Short supply, high demand causes issues for those looking to book rental cars

Rental cars becoming harder to book in Maritimes Some travellers are discovering it’s tough to catch a ride in the Maritimes, with rental vehicles becoming hard to find.

At the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, rental car kiosks are just as busy as flight check-in counters.

"I booked it last week but it took me a while to find a rental car company where there were cars available," says traveller Katherine Hamilton.

And those get snapped up quickly.

Hamilton was able to get one, though she didn’t get her choice of vehicle due to the global shortage of rentals.

"We are hearing from the rental car service providers here at the airport that they are facing challenges with vehicle supply," says Leah Batstone a Halifax Stanfield International Airport spokesperson.

However, many are still wondering why supply continues to be short.

"Frankly, COVID happened," says Steve Olmstead the director of CAA Atlantic. "And without rentals being a popular item for two years, those vehicles get removed from the fleet with the goal of being replaced."

A shortage of semiconductors is also slowing the fabrication of new vehicles.

Additionally, the sharp increase of people travelling is bringing in demand for rentals that has been outpacing supply and causing the cost to drive up.

"In Florida, in January it cost me $5,000 for four weeks," Hamilton says.

Batstone says other options are available to those who can’t find a car.

"We do have other transportation options here. We do have the metro transit bus, the shuttles, Maritime Bus and the taxis and limos," she says.

Steve Olmstead says it’s too early to say what the direct impact of the rental shortage will be on the tourism industry.