Metro-North Deal Will Bring Rental Cars to Train Stations

A new deal between Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Metro-North Railroad is set to provide New Yorkers with added convenience when leaving Manhattan for five counties north of the city. Under the five-year contract, Enterprise will provide rental cars that are directly available at 23 Metro-North stations and will compensate Metro-North with $40,000 annually, plus 10% of the program's annual revenue.

A Metro-North spokesman, Dan Brucker, said there was a market for this service, set to begin next spring, because of the high cost of renting cars in Manhattan and the fact that there are more people leaving the city for restaurants and antique stores in the suburbs. "Having the ability to take the train for most of the ride and getting your rental car closer saves you money, time, and gasoline," he said.

As of yesterday, none of Enterprise's Manhattan locations had cars available for Christmas Eve, while the Port Chester office had all vehicle classes available.

According to Metro-North, Enterprise was selected over Zipcar because it has offices close to train stations, offers hybrid vehicles, and has agreed to drive commuters to an office if an automobile is not available at the station.

The participating stations are located in Westchester, Orange, Rockland, Dutchess, and Putnam counties.