Hertz to offer fuel-efficient rental cars

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

See recent posts by Josh Roberts

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Here’s something I can applaud: Hertz says it will introduce a fleet of 35,000 new fuel-efficient cars later this week.

The cars will be available for rental at 50 airport locations across the U.S., with additional locations added throughout the year. Travel Weekly (registration required) reports that “all of the vehicles are Environmental Protection Agency highway rated at 28 miles-per-gallon or better. At least 18,000 of the vehicles are SmartWay certified, meaning the vehicles are designed to limit their impact on both greenhouse gases and air pollution.”

Hertz CEO Mark Frissora says in a statement that Hertz is “the only major car rental company offering reservable vehicles that are right for the times for specific consumer segments”—which, in corporate-speak, means those of us who care about having as little impact on the environment as possible.

There’s only one problem with Hertz’s plan, as far as I can tell. Hertz car rentals are almost always the most expensive whenever I do a head-to-head comparison of rental car companies.

So, it remains to be seen if travelers will vote to stay “green” and save the planet, or save some greenbacks and rent elsewhere.

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