Maybe Avis does try harder--even if their blog is weak. The car rental giant has just announced that its on-board WiFi service has started rolling out of San Francisco International Airport, with locations around the country set to follow suit. (We actually got pretty fired up about this back in January, if you'll recall.
The WiFi enabled cars sound pretty awesome, at least to bloggers like us:
Avis Connect enables travelers to enjoy broadband wireless Internet connectivity at all times and places during their travel, from airports to meetings to hotels, and everything in between.
Obviously, Avis doesn't want you online while you're driving. (Or maybe they do, and this is a big insurance scam?!) Either way, it's clearly aimed at biz travelers, spending on their corporate card: you'll pay $11 a day to log on. Just think, if you're staying at the wrong hotel and renting from Avis, you could end up paying $25 a day for 'net access!
If everyone else is doing it, why shouldn't we? That's the attitude from the British branch of Avis car rentals who claim they've started up the first ever car rental company blog with We Try Harder. Since the start of the year, Avis employees have been blogging about how wonderful Avis is, how responsive they are to customers and, well, how wonderful Avis is.
Having said that, it does actually give a few good tips like how and where you can hire snowchains in the Alps, or info on renting sat nav equipment with your rental car. But since the blog authors introduce themselves with tales of football, mountain biking or playing golf, we think there could be a bit more of a personal touch, and a few more interesting posts. Avis, you have to Try Even Harder.
Jaunted may be banned from Hertz, but we're free to drive with Avis, and could soon be blogging straight from the road, not that we'd recommend it. Avis will soon offer integrated WiFi access in its vehicles. Just what we all need, another added fee on our rentals.
The service, provided by Autonet Mobile, offers up a gadget you plug into the car's power supply--it then turns the car into a WiFi hotspot. Not only does this open up the possibility for all sorts of fun accidents, but it could provide serious business travelers with some peace of mind. If all else fails and those who need it can't find a hotel with WiFi, they can always sit in their car...in a scary parking lot...typing away...waiting to get carjacked.
The hookup will cost $10.95 extra per day. Interested customers will also have to sign over their soul to Avis and agree to not sue them into oblivion for related accidents.
