Business ProfileforThrifty

The following describes a government action that has been resolved by either a settlement or a decision by a court or administrative agency. If the matter is being appealed, it will be noted below.

Florida: On August 29, 2018, the State of Florida Attorney General's Office, brought an action against Dollar/Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. for alleged violations of Florida's Business and Professions Code in relation to their actions related to toll services (Case No. 2018-CA-005938-XXXX-MA, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Duval County).

In First Amended Complaint (filed 8/29/18), Florida alleges, in part: Dollar/ Thrifty misrepresents charges for cashless tolls as fines or violations, and bills customers a grossly-inflated fee for each toll incurred. Dollar Thrifty charges $10 to $15 each time one of its rental car customers drives through a Florida cashless toll, and up to $105 during the course of a rental.

I. The complaint alleges that Dollar Thrifty failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose to consumers the excessive toll fees it charges customers for the use of Florida's cashless toll roads and misrepresented toll fees and information related to Florida's cashless toll roads to coerce consumers into purchasing Dollar Thrifty's toll product, PlatePass.

II. According to the complaint, Dollar Thrifty also forced consumers to purchase damage-waiver products even if the consumers initially declined or did not need it. Many renters have insurance that covers rental cars and therefore do not need Dollar Thrifty's expensive damage-waiver product.

III. The complaint also alleges Dollar Thrifty wrongfully charged consumers for vehicle upgrades and failed to properly disclose the cost of the upgrade. Many consumers complained of charges for upgrades when the car class reserved was unavailable.

On July 7, 2019 Dollar Thrifty enter into SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT for the purpose of resolving this matter only, and the Attorney General does in this matter accept this SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT as a resolution of the litigation.

Dollar Thrifty asserts that at all times relevant to the Attorney General's Investigation and Lawsuit it has:

I. Consistently made express and complete disclosures to consumers about the price and all other material terms associated with PlatePass and Dollar Thrifty Toll Related Fees in customer rental agreements, on its websites, in reservation confirmation emails, and in other written disclosures made available to customers at rental locations in Florida, including but not limited to: disclosures about the existence of cashless tolls; the daily price of PlatePass; the circumstances under which a customer will incur Dollar Thrifty Toll Related Fees (and the price associated with those Fees); the opportunity for customers to avoid PlatePass and Dollar Thrifty Toll Related Fees by avoiding toll roads or by making direct toll payment to the relevant toll authority, where allowed; and the ability to purchase PlatePass at the time of car return.

II. Made express and complete disclosures to customers about the price and all other material terms associated with Damage Waiver and Protection-Related Products and vehicle upgrades in customer rental agreements, on its websites, in reservation confirmation emails, and in other written disclosures shown to customers at rental locations in Florida and (b) endeavored to ensure that Damage Waiver and Protection-Related 6 Products and vehicle upgrades are always offered to customers as options, not requirements of rental.

III. Asserts that its disclosures to customers regarding PlatePass, Dollar Thrifty Toll Related Fees, Damage Waiver and Protection-Related Products, and vehicle upgrades have been Clear and Conspicuous (as defined below) and Dollar Thrifty denies that it has engaged in any deceptive or unfair trade practice, and specifically denies that its business practices are in any way deceptive, unfair, or violative of Florida law, and instead states that those business practices fully comply with all local, state, and federal laws and shall remain so going forward.

Dollar Thrifty will contact independent, third-party online aggregators that facilitate reservations of Dollar Thrifty branded vehicles for the purpose of attempting to cause those businesses to include language on their websites and in their reservation confirmation emails, in the context of reservations for Dollar Thrifty-branded vehicles, that matches the PlatePass and Dollar Thrifty Toll Related Fees disclosures Dollar Thrifty uses on its websites and in its reservation confirmation emails, as described above.

Dollar Thrifty maintains that it is not responsible for and cannot control the disclosure conduct of such third-party aggregators. For avoidance of doubt, it is agreed that Dollar Thrifty's compliance with this SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT shall not be judged by whether or not such third-party aggregators include on their 14 websites and confirmation emails the PlatePass and Dollar Thrifty Toll Related Fees disclosure language described above. Dollar Thrifty has agreed to review and provide refunds to eligible customers - pursuant to the procedures and criteria set forth above and in the agreed claim form going back to January 1, 2011.

Dollar Thrifty shall pay the sum of $330,000 by check made out to the Legal Affairs Revolving Trust Account within thirty (30) days after the Effective Date of this SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT.

Within five days after the Effective Date of this SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, the Attorney General will file the Joint Stipulation for Dismissal of Action with Prejudice and Proposed Order Dismissing Action with Prejudice.

Whereas, Dollar Thrifty is entering into this SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT without making any admission of liability or wrongdoing under Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act or any other local, state, or federal law, rule, or regulation, and solely for the purpose of resolving this matter with the Attorney General.


For more information you may visit Florida Attorney General's Office by phone at (850) 245-0150 or on-line http://myfloridalegal.com.