Members-only perks
More than 100 years on the road
Back in 1918, when there were only around six cars for every 100 people in the USA, a visionary automobile business started with a modest fleet of 12 Ford Model Ts in Chicago.
More than a century later, that very same business would still be going strong – on the other side of two world wars, two global pandemics, a crushing bankruptcy, and a fierce recovery.
Now, rather than 12, our fleet is closer to 600,000 – spanning over 11,000 locations and more than 160 countries. As one of Time Magazine’s Most Iconic US Companies and USA Today’s Most Trusted Brands, Hertz has earned a place among America’s truly great businesses.
But how did it get here? Our story is one of innovation, perseverance, and plenty of twists and turns. And we think it’s worth retelling.
1918
Twelve trailblazing cars. One big idea.
Henry Ford’s pioneering assembly line revolutionized car manufacturing in 1913. But five years later, fewer than 10% of Americans actually owned one.
In towns and cities around the nation, most trips were taken by trolley – electric trams/streetcars – while longer trips relied on the railroads. Horse-drawn vehicles were also still entirely common, especially in rural areas.
So, when 22-year-old Walter L. Jacobs started a small car rental business in Chicago boasting just 12 Model Ts – Ford’s “universal car” – this wasn’t just another passing fad; it was an innovation – seeking to democratize car use and availability before many could afford to have their own.
1923
Changing hands
Over the next five years, cars in the United States transitioned from being luxury items to mass-market goods. Goods with demand.
Riding the wave was Walter, whose fleet had grown from twelve to 600 – bringing in close to $1 million per year. This eye-catching success caught the eye of John D. Hertz – another automobile innovator whose stroke of genius was bringing yellow taxicabs to US cities.
John made the purchase, and the Hertz Drive-Ur-Self System was born. But this didn’t mean a hasty exit for Walter S. Jacobs: after the sale went through, he stayed on as President and Chief Operating Officer of the company, where he would remain for the next four decades.
1925
Coast to coast
While the age of the American Frontier supposedly ended at the close of the 19th century, even in 1925 the USA was largely impassable by road.
As road networks expanded, so did Hertz – making smooth travel to destinations across the continent more possible in this decade with the very first coast-to-coast rental network.
Now, renting was easier than ever. Drivers were able to pick up a car in distant cities, coordinate rail and road travel, and see almost the entirety of America in whole new ways. Appreciating the value and importance of the business, iconic car giant General Motors purchased the Hertz Drive-Ur-Self System in 1926.
1932
The first airport rentals take off
Early in the 1930s, Hertz opened the industry's first-ever airport rental counter at Chicago Midway. It was a simple idea, perhaps, but this new transport connection changed the way people took holidays and business trips forever.
Combining the reach of air travel with the convenience and ease of traveling by car, airport rental remains key to the Hertz model today. In fact, around 70% of car rentals in the US now come from airport locations.
1933
A one-way ticket to freedom
Capitalizing on their cross-country reach, Hertz introduced another game-changer in 1933: the one-way rental. For the first time, it allowed drivers to pick up a car in one city and drop it in another – removing one of the biggest car rental barriers and sparking a boom of open-ended road trips across the country.
1938
Crossing the border
Hertz’s first location outside of the USA popped up within the borders of our northerly neighbor. This new presence in Canada paved the way for an international network that would only continue to grow.
1950
Bonjour, Europe
After World War 2, Hertz crossed the ocean to open its first European location in France. This transatlantic expansion would only accelerate over the coming decades. Now, the company has locations spanning more than 160 countries.
1953
A new chapter
1953 was the year that the Hertz name took on another change. When General Motors sold up to the Omnibus Corporation, Omnibus was renamed ‘The Hertz Corporation’ to emphasize its size and industry leadership. It was listed on the New York Stock Exchange for the first time that same year.
1955
Location number 1,000
As car travel flourished in the 1950s, Hertz experienced a boom of its own. Just five years after opening in Europe, it reached a major milestone: 1,000 locations worldwide.
1961
Passing the torch
Having founded Hertz, overseen its extraordinary expansion, and acted as COO through wars, depressions, and booms, it was time for Walter to finally step down and leave the company to its board of directors.
1966
Built for speed
Hertz put cutting-edge cars at the forefront of its fleet from the very start. But in the mid-60s, things got fast. Real fast.
Building on America’s post-war love affair with automotive speed and performance, Hertz launched its Rent-A-Racer program in partnership with the legendary Carroll Shelby. That same year, Shelby’s famed Ford GT40 design began its iconic four-year run of victories over Ferrari at Le Mans, as immortalized in the 2019 Hollywood smash Ford vs. Ferrari, where Matt Damon portrayed Shelby.
Shelby also went full throttle for Hertz, designing custom GT350H Ford Mustangs for the program. This union kick-started a long-standing relationship to racing and performance vehicles, delighting gearheads and racing fans through the decades.
1972
Join the club
In the early 1970s, Hertz launched the #1 Club: a service designed to make the rental process quicker for members using computers, which were uncommon in those years.
Its tagline during this period promised there was “no faster way to get from a runway to a fairway,” pointing to the popularity of its airport services with golfers. The #1 Club laid the foundations for the loyalty experience Hertz customers get today with Hertz Gold+.
1984
The first hint of NeverLost®
Hertz introduces the industry's first computerized driving directions, printing personalized routes to more than 100 cities across the country.
It was a small, paper-based idea by today's standards. But it planted the seed for NeverLost®, the in-car navigation system Hertz would roll out a decade later, and the turn-by-turn journeys drivers take for granted today.
1989
Skip the counter
By the end of the 1980s, Hertz took convenience to the next level with the launch of the #1 Club Gold. Members could now go straight from their plane to their car, bypassing the rental counter altogether.
Not only was it handy for its users, but it was also a clear demonstration of Hertz’s innovative nature: using technology to remove friction from the customer experience. In fact, it was a direct precursor to the Hertz Gold+ Ultimate Choice experience today.
1997
Hertz goes public
In 1997, Hertz completed a public share offering on the New York Stock Exchange under the leadership of Ford. It marked a major step for Hertz as a publicly traded company.
2006
A new investor group, a new stock listing
Following its 2005 sale to a private equity consortium made up of Clayton Dubilier & Rice, The Carlyle Group, and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity, Hertz returned to the New York Stock Exchange in 2006. This acquisition marked another significant change for the company.
2012
Three brands, one family
In 2012, Hertz expanded its family of rental brands with its acquisition of Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.
Dollar and Thrifty now join Firefly under the Hertz umbrella, transforming the company from a single-brand powerhouse into a multi-brand giant, enabling the company to reach more customers and meet more needs across more price points.
2013
A new home in the Sunshine State
In 2013, after 25 years, Hertz moved its global headquarters from Park Ridge, New Jersey to Estero, Florida. This relocation gave the company a new base, where its global headquarters remains today
2016
A first for the driver's seat
The mid-2010s saw Kathryn Marinello in the driver’s seat for Hertz as its first female CEO. Appointed by the board to lead the company forward, Marinello steered our company into a new era.
2018
100 years, 100+ awards
100 years on from Walter Jacobs’ bright idea in 1910s Chicago, Hertz celebrated its centenary. But it wasn’t just another number – Hertz doubled down on its achievements by celebrating more than 150 accolades from across the industry.
2020 to 2021
The hardest year, and the comeback
A few years after Hertz celebrated 100 years, the brand faced its toughest challenge yet: the COVID-19 pandemic. Global travel came to an almost complete standstill, and in May 2020, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
But this wouldn’t be the end of our journey. In June 2021, Hertz completed financial restructuring and emerged from Chapter 11 backed by a new group of investors, cutting its corporate debt by close to 80% in the process. The judge overseeing the case called it one of the strongest outcomes she'd seen in more than 20 years on the bench.
2024
Back to basics
In 2024, Gil West became Hertz's Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than two decades of operational turnaround experience from the airline industry. The same year, under his leadership, Hertz launched its “Back-to-Basics” transformation strategy, focusing on fleet discipline, cost control, and rebuilding the customer experience.
2026
America's most trusted
In 2026, Hertz was voted onto USA TODAY's Most Trusted Brands list by more than 23,000 consumers – the only traditional car rental company included on the list.
Hertz Gold+ also received a 4.5-star rating in USA TODAY's America's Best Loyalty and Rewards Programs list. More than a century after Walter L. Jacobs started with 12 cars in Chicago, Hertz continues to evolve, with around 600,000 vehicles across 11,000 locations in 160 countries.
Hertz History: FAQs
When was Hertz founded?
Hertz was founded in 1918 by Walter L. Jacobs, who started a car rental business in Chicago with a fleet of just 12 Ford Model Ts. The business was originally known as Rent-a-Car Inc, until it was bought by John D. Hertz in 1923 and renamed the Hertz Drive-Ur-Self System.
Is Hertz the oldest car rental company?
Yes. Hertz is widely recognized as the world's oldest car rental brand, tracing its history back to 1918. The original rental business was founded in Chicago with just 12 Ford Model Ts, establishing a company that would grow into a global car rental network.
Who founded Hertz?
Walter L. Jacobs founded the business that became Hertz in 1918. He started Rent-a-Car Inc. in Chicago and remained with the company for almost four decades. In 1923, John D. Hertz, the head of Yellow Cab and Yellow Truck, bought the business – giving it the name it still has today. Jacobs stayed on as president and Chief Operating Officer.
What awards has Hertz won recently?
In 2026, Hertz was named a USA TODAY Most Trusted Brand, the only traditional car rental company on the list, following a vote by more than 23,000 consumers. Hertz Gold+ also received a 4.5-star rating in USA TODAY's America's Best Loyalty and Rewards Programs 2026 list.
