Hertz will close 200 US non-airport locations

Hertz will close about 200 off-airport locations in the U.S. to cut costs. The operator of the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly rental car businesses will mainly close small stores.

As of March 31, Hertz had about 10,300 locations. Around one-quarter of them are at airports.

Hertz also announced plans to raise prices by as much as $5 a day in June in expectation of a busy summer travel season. Hertz is raising prices $20 a week at airports and $10 a week in its neighbourhood locations, starting June 14. Daily rental rates—across all rental car companies—now hover between $40 and $50 a day for a small or midsize sedan.

Hertz is making an effort to cut cost and raise its profits margin after having acquired Dollar Thrifty. The take-over shrank the number of major rental- car firms in the U.S. to three from four.