Discount Car and Truck Rentals and VIA Rail partnership to expand seamless customer travel experiences with industry leading technology

                            

TORONTO (April 21, 2016) – Discount Car and Truck Rentals, an official rental car partner of VIA Rail Canada (VIA Rail),will soon be providing even more of VIA Rail’s customers with a seamless travel connection option when they arrive at the train station. Discount Car and Truck Rentals was selected by VIA Rail based on the company’s industry-leading technology that will provide the “last-mile” mobility solution to VIA Rail’s customers.

QuickCar™ white-blue-and-green branded rental kiosks will be installed at high-traffic VIA Rail stations across the country. Six new locations are being added to those already in operation in Ottawa, Fallowfield, Kingston and London, bringing the total to ten.

“VIA Rail is a well-established Canadian brand that is leading the way in how it thinks about its customers. We are extremely proud to expand our partnership with them and contribute to their vision of exceptional customer experiences,” said Jay Singer, President and CEO, Discount Car and Truck Rentals.

“It is through partnership and innovation that VIA Rail intends to significantly enhance the travel experience of Canadians. Today's announcement with Discount Car and Truck Rentals demonstrates our shared commitment to providing seamless and simple integration of all modes of transportation and thus, to enrich the overall travel experience,” added Yves Desjardins-Siciliano, President and CEO of VIA Rail.

“This partnership brings together two great Canadian brands that are focused on innovating travel experiences. Our industry-leading 24-hour QuickCar^TM car rental service kiosks offer VIA Rail passengers a convenient solution to get them to their final destination no matter what the circumstance or time of day,” adds Al Nanji, Senior Vice President, Operations, Discount Car and Truck Rentals.

Each kiosk is equipped with a credit card reader and driver’s license scanner. Once customers initiate the vehicle rental process, they are quickly connected to a live Discount agent who is trained to guide them through a fast and easy rental process. The live interactive video link lets the customer and agent confirm the rental agreement details, mobilizes the car using a smartphone and gets the customer on the road without delay. Once the rental is processed, customers quickly receive an email with instructions on how to access the rental vehicle from VIA Rail’s parking lot.

Discount’s new system also allows customers to return the rental vehicle using their smartphone or at the kiosk any time they choose - 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

About Discount Car and Truck Rentals
Founded in 1980 and headquartered in Toronto, Discount Car and Truck Rentals is a nationally recognized brand operating off-airport and neighbourhood rental locations in Canada. With over 300 neighbourhood branch offices located within 15 minutes from 90 percent of the Canadian population, Discount is proud to be the largest vehicle rental company in Canada owned by Canadians. Discount is known for renting cars and trucks of all makes and models, from economy cars to luxury brands; and cargo vans to 5-ton trucks. Its commitment to quality and superior customer service is unmatched in the Canadian rental industry. Discount is proud to have originated picking up and dropping off its clients at no extra cost.  In 2010, Discount was named one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures ^TM; was a Platinum award winner for 2011 and 2012, and was named one of Canada’s 10 Most Admired Corporate Cultures™ again in 2013. Discount has also won the Consumer’s Choice Award for Business Excellence for 14 consecutive years.  For more information about Discount, visit www.discountcar.com.

About VIA Rail Canada
As Canada's national rail passenger service, VIA Rail Canada (viarail.ca) and its 2,500 employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and safely transports nearly four million passengers annually. The Corporation was awarded seven Safety Awards by the Railway Association of Canada over the last eight years. Visit the About Via Rail section on our website at /en/about-via-rail.

Media Contacts:
                                                                                                                                                   
Discount Car & Truck Rentals Ltd
Barry Singer, Senior Vice President, Governance and Capital Management
416-744-0123
bsinger@discountcar.com

VIA Rail Canada
Mariam Diaby
Corporate Communications
514-871-6010
1 877 393-8787
media@viarail.ca