Rental car shortage driving up costs for travelers

ALPENA, Mich . –  If you’re planning to travel and rent a car, you could have trouble finding one.

Parts of the country are experiencing a rental car shortage.

The cause – travel experts say, car rental companies sold off a lot of their inventory due to the pandemic.

Less travel in 2020 caused a decline in renting.

But, now that there’s an uptick in traveling, it’s slim pickings and higher cost for renters.

One travel expert offers these tips to help you save money.

“Book it as far in advance as you can, rent from an return to the same location, third keep in mind that in some cases being able to rent a vehicle in a complete package will give you more options and bring that overall cost down,” said Traverse City AAA Travel Specialist Peggy Riley.

Riley said she’s also seeing more rental car companies changing payment policies.

Some companies now require a credit check and no longer accept debit cards to secure a rental.