Thank you for consideration to use Explore Rentals for your commercial vehicle rental needs. We have been happily helping production companies, tour guides, and non-profits with their transportation needs since 2010. All of our vehicles are guaranteed four-wheel-drive and with the right tires for all Montana conditions- so we can ensure you have the right vehicle for your needs while minimizing chances of any downtime.
This being said, for Commercial Renters (anyone using our vehicle for purposes other than private use) a different set of policy rules apply. We have learned, usually through the hard way, that commercial renters place different demands on our business versus the bulk of our renters who are tourists with arrival and departure flights. FYI you cannot use any of our vehicles for “Livery” purposes (i.e. Uber/ Taxi/ Limo).
BOOKING TERMS:
- If you are using any of our vehicles for commercial use, you must provide a Certificate of Insurance. This must prove that your insurance will act as primary coverage for a rented vehicle, and must name Explore Rentals, 32 Dollar Drive, Belgrade, MT 59714 as a named Payee.
- Credit card payment of 15% is due at the time of booking. An additional 35% of the total amount due will be charged to your card on file 30-days prior to the commencement of your rental. 50% of the total booking amount is due 30-days prior to the commencement of your rental. If you are making a new booking within 30-days of your arrival, 50% (rather than the standard 15%) is due at the time of booking.
- The remaining 50% due will be charged to your card on file at the end of your rental period. We do not offer terms nor any other method of payment. If the Renter is the reason for any late payment beyond the final day of rental, the renter will be subject to a 5% penalty of the total amount due PER DAY until the balance is settled.
- Any additional cleaning time beyond what is our standard with our regular renters (approximately 15-minutes interior and 15-minutes exterior) will be charged at the rate of $100/ hour. If the vehicle is returned caked with mud/ gumbo, not only will you be charged additional vehicle cleaning time, but also the additional cleaning time to remove the mud from our facilities. Likely cost of returning a mud-caked vehicle is in excess of $200, so you are much better off running it through someone else’s car wash before returning to us.
- Mileage: 175-miles per day average is included. Additional miles are $.35 each.
CANCELLATION TERMS/ REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES:
- Cancellation outside of 45-days of the commencement of your rental, your 15% deposit will be refunded in full.
- Cancellation between 44 and 30 days prior to the commencement of your rental, your 15% deposit will be forfeited.
- Cancellation less than 30-days prior to the commencement of your rental, your 50% deposit will be forfeited.
REDUCING THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF RENTAL: The same terms above apply to individually cancelled vehicles. Example: you booked 4-Sprinters 8-months prior to your arrival date. 20-days prior to your commencement, half of your clients flake and you now only need 2-Sprinters. You are liable for 50% of the total cost of each of those cancelled Sprinters.
SHORTENING A RENTAL PERIOD PRIOR TO COMMENCEMENT OF RENTAL: No penalty outside of 30-days of commencement. Less than 30-days you are liable for 50% of the per-day vehicle rental cost. Example: 12-days prior to your shoot, you learn the director will only be in town 6-days rather than the reserved 10-days. You are liable for 50% of the cancelled 4-days rental.
SHORTENING OF A RENTAL, RENTAL HAS COMMENCED: Once you take possession of one of our rental vehicles, you are liable for 100% payment for the entirety of the scheduled rental period, just like any of our other renters.
We understand that these policies are more prohibitive to Commercial Renters than they have been in the past. Unfortunately, we lose a significant amount of money annually due to commercial renters blocking out inventory and cancelling within a timeframe that is unrealistic for us to book out the vehicle again. Our average Sprinter renter books well over 6-months in advance- as to be expected of a family needing to move 10+ people at once. We NEVER get last minute Sprinter rentals. This means that if your client’s plans change last minute- we will not be able to book that van out again which is lost revenue. To put this in perspective, in 2023 alone, we had in excess of $45,000 of lost revenue due to last minute cancellations from Commercial renters; whether it is a Yellowstone tour guide’s customer changing their minds, to production companies completely pivoting, to non-profits blocking out dates with hopes of getting lots of donors to come and it not working out. Fact of the matter is that Commercial Renters are much more likely to change their reservations than our regular customer. Commercial Renters also account for about 15% of our total revenue, and about 60% of our total lost/ cancelled revenue.
We get that what your clients do is completely out of your control. However, we simply cannot afford to keep getting kicked in the teeth as a result of last minute changes. We really like all of our Commercial Renters and we like helping out our community, and those that make it great. But in order to mitigate our potential loss, more significant penalties will occur when plans do change.
Your understanding is appreciated. Happy to help with any specific Commercial Rental questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Will
will@explore-rentals. com, 406-922-0179