Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group
Corporate brand
UnclaimedFormer American car-rental holding company that operated the Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental brands.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group was an American car-rental holding company formed by Chrysler Corporation around its Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental businesses. The group developed from Chrysler's Pentastar Transportation Group, a collection of rental operations that also included General Rent-A-Car and Snappy Car Rental. Chrysler had acquired Thrifty Rent A Car System in 1989 and Dollar Rent A Car Systems in 1990, creating the basis for the combined Dollar Thrifty organization. The company was headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after a relocation from Detroit overseen by Joseph E. Cappy. It began operating as an independent car-rental subsidiary on November 4, 1997, when Chrysler separated it from the parent company. Dollar Thrifty completed an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange on December 23, 1997, trading under the symbol DTG. The two consumer brands initially operated as a unified rental group for efficiency, but became separate subsidiaries in December 2002, each retaining its own commercial identity, fleet management, marketing, sales, and franchise activities. Dollar Thrifty served leisure travelers, airport customers, local renters, insurance-replacement customers, and franchise operators. Dollar generally emphasized tourism and leisure rentals, with particularly strong exposure in destinations such as Florida, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. Thrifty focused on airport and local-market rentals, franchising, and franchise support. Together, the brands operated in the United States, Canada, and a broad network of international markets through corporate and franchised locations. For much of its earlier history, the group relied heavily on Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles. In 2009 it announced an effort to diversify the fleet with vehicles from Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Chrysler, and other manufacturers. The change was intended to provide greater fleet flexibility and reduce dependence on a single vehicle supplier. Hertz Global Holdings pursued the company repeatedly beginning in 2009. Earlier proposals were rejected by Dollar Thrifty shareholders, while Avis Budget Group also made a competing approach. Hertz ultimately announced the acquisition on November 19, 2012, for approximately US$2.3 billion. Following the transaction, Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental continued as separate brands under Hertz rather than as an independent publicly traded holding company. The Dollar Thrifty corporate entity therefore became defunct as an independent company, although its principal consumer brands survived within Hertz's rental portfolio.
History
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group emerged from Chrysler Corporation's expansion into vehicle rental. Chrysler acquired Thrifty Rent A Car System in 1989 and Dollar Rent A Car Systems in 1990. These businesses were placed within Chrysler's Pentastar Transportation Group, whose other rental operations included General Rent-A-Car and Snappy Car Rental. The combined Dollar and Thrifty operation was headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, following a relocation from Detroit led by Joseph E. Cappy. The group became an independent Chrysler rental subsidiary on November 4, 1997. It completed an initial public offering on December 23 of that year and traded on the New York Stock Exchange as DTG. During its early public-company period, Dollar and Thrifty were managed as a single rental group to reduce duplicated expenses. The brands were reorganized as separate subsidiaries in December 2002, allowing each to maintain its own commercial and operating structure while remaining under common ownership. By the early 2000s, the brands had expanded beyond the United States and Canada through corporate and franchised locations. Dollar concentrated on leisure and tourism demand, especially in major vacation destinations, while Thrifty maintained a broader emphasis on airport rentals, local markets, franchise operations, and insurance-replacement rentals. The group also supported customers with rental extras such as child safety seats, ski racks, and navigation equipment through the Dollar business. The vehicle fleet historically consisted primarily of Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep products. In October 2009, Dollar Thrifty announced a move toward a more diversified fleet, naming Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, and Chrysler among the manufacturers whose vehicles could be included. The decision reflected the company's desire for greater supplier flexibility and a wider selection of rental vehicles. Hertz Global Holdings made an initial approach in 2009 and increased its proposals over the following years. Dollar Thrifty shareholders rejected multiple offers, and Avis Budget Group also competed for the company. Hertz ultimately announced the acquisition on November 19, 2012, at a reported value of approximately US$2.3 billion. After the transaction, Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental became separate Hertz subsidiaries. The independent Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group consequently ceased to operate as a standalone public company, while its two principal rental brands continued under Hertz ownership.
- 2012
Acquired by Hertz
[1]Hertz Global Holdings completed the acquisition process, ending Dollar Thrifty's existence as an independent rental company.
- 2009
Fleet diversification announced
[1]The group announced plans to broaden its fleet beyond its traditional concentration on Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles.
- 2002
Brand subsidiaries separated
[1]Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental began operating as separate subsidiaries within the group.
- 1997
Independent operation and public listing
[1]Dollar Thrifty began operating independently from Chrysler and completed its NYSE initial public offering under the symbol DTG.
- 1994
Headquarters relocated to Tulsa
[1]Joseph E. Cappy oversaw the relocation of the rental operation from Detroit to Tulsa, Oklahoma.
- 1990
Dollar business joins Chrysler's rental portfolio
[1]Chrysler acquired Dollar Rent A Car Systems and combined the Dollar and Thrifty businesses within its transportation group.
- 1989
Chrysler acquires Thrifty
[1]Chrysler Corporation acquired Thrifty Rent A Car System, establishing one of the two principal businesses that would form Dollar Thrifty.
Products and positioning
Value-oriented and leisure-focused vehicle rental, combining Dollar's tourism emphasis with Thrifty's airport, local-market, franchise, and insurance-replacement operations.
Car-rental brand · 1965
Dollar Rent A Car
Dollar Rent A Car was the group's leisure- and tourism-oriented rental brand. It served vacation destinations and other high-tourism markets through corporate and franchised locations in the United States and international markets. Its rental offering included standard vehicle hire and ancillary equipment such as child safety seats, ski racks, and navigation devices. The brand originated as Dollar A Day Rent A Car and joined Chrysler's rental portfolio in 1990.
Car-rental brand · 1958
Thrifty Car Rental
Thrifty Car Rental was the group's second principal consumer brand. It focused on airport and local-market rentals, franchising, and franchise-support services, and had historical exposure to insurance-replacement rentals through the Snappy Car Rental acquisition. The brand was incorporated in 1958 and acquired by Chrysler in 1989. It continued as a separate brand after Hertz acquired Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group.
Rental fleet
Vehicle-rental fleet
The group's fleet historically emphasized Chrysler, Dodge, and Jeep vehicles, with some locations also offering Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota models. In 2009, Dollar Thrifty announced a broader sourcing strategy that could include Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Chrysler, and other manufacturers.
Brand decisions
2012
Accept Hertz acquisitionM&ABackground
Hertz and Avis Budget Group pursued Dollar Thrifty through multiple competing proposals over several years.
Action taken
Hertz Global Holdings acquired Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group for approximately US$2.3 billion.
Aftermath
Dollar and Thrifty continued as separate rental brands within Hertz, while the independent Dollar Thrifty holding company ceased to exist.
Reported acquisition value. US$2.3 billion (2012 acquisition announced November 19, 2012)
- Avis Budget Group — Avis Budget Group made a competing acquisition proposal during the bidding process.
2009
Diversify the rental fleetStrategyBackground
Dollar Thrifty had relied primarily on Chrysler Group vehicles for much of its earlier history.
Action taken
The company announced plans to add vehicles from Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Hyundai, Kia, Chrysler, and other manufacturers.
Aftermath
The initiative was intended to increase fleet flexibility and reduce dependence on Chrysler-supplied vehicles.
2002
Separate the Dollar and Thrifty operating subsidiariesStrategyBackground
The two brands had previously been managed as one rental group, partly to reduce duplicated costs.
Action taken
Dollar Rent A Car and Thrifty Car Rental were organized as separate subsidiaries with distinct operating and commercial functions.
Aftermath
The brands retained separate identities and activities while remaining under the Dollar Thrifty corporate structure.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/dollar-thrifty-automotive-group · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled