FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                    CR
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1995                                   (202) 616-2765
                                                         TDD (202) 514-1888
                                     

           DOLLAR RENT A CAR TO ALLOW PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
              TO RENT CARS UNDER JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT

     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Persons with disabilities will be able
to rent cars from Dollar Rent A Car under an agreement reached
today with the Justice Department.
     The agreement requires Dollar to modify a policy that
prevented people with disabilities from renting a car even if
they intended that it be driven by a licensed companion.
     Before today's agreement, Dollar required the licensed
driver to be the financially responsible party under the rental
agreement.  The policy made it impossible for people with
disabilities who cannot drive to rent cars, even when they had a
licensed driver accompanying them.  
     Under today's agreement, individuals with disabilities who
choose to be financially responsible must meet standard credit
requirements applicable to all Dollar car renters.  A licensed
driver must accompany such a renter.  As Dollar licensees renew
existing contracts, or enter into new contracts, they too will
have to adopt conforming policies.
     "This marks another important step forward on the road to
independence for people with disabilities," said Assistant
Attorney General for Civil Rights Deval L. Patrick.  "We will
continue to vigorously enforce the ADA and give people with
disabilities the same opportunities available to all Americans,
including the opportunity to be responsible for their own means
of travel."    
     The Justice Department began looking into Dollar's policies
after receiving complaints from two individuals who are blind. 
The two wrote to the Department separately after each was refused
the opportunity to rent a car in his or her name, at different
locations, on separate occasions.  Each presented his or her own
credit card to pay for a rental car, while a licensed driver
accompanying each of them produced a valid driver's license. 
Both were informed that company policy required that the credit
card used to pay for the car and the driver's license for the
driver of the car be in the same name.  The individuals
complained that such a policy was discriminatory against people
with disabilities.
     The agreement with Dollar is the second Justice Department
agreement reached with a major car rental company in the past
four months.  In September, Avis, Inc. agreed to provide hand
controls for people with disabilities and make policy changes
similar to those in the Dollar agreement.  The Department is
continuing to investigate complaints against several other car
rental companies, including complaints alleging discriminatory
policies similar to the one addressed in today's settlement.
     Dollar cooperated fully with the government's
investigations, entered into negotiations promptly after being
notified of alleged violations, and began implementing the new
policy at Dollar Rent A Car locations before the agreement was
reached.  
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