New Enterprise Rent-A-Car office opening exclusively for university

A new branch of Enterprise Rent-A-Car will open in Cape Girardeau on Monday. But unlike the company's Kingshighway location, the new office will be exclusive to Southeast Missouri State University faculty, staff and students.

The rental-car company is under contract with the state of Missouri, and the university rents exclusively from it. But rather than requiring customers to travel off campus to pick up a vehicle, all business will take place in the new office in the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Enterprise vehicles will be stored in the parking area on the north side of the building. Parking for those renting the cars also will be available there.

Kathy Mangels, vice president for finance and communication at Southeast Missouri State University, said Enterprise is renting its space from the university and staffing its office with university students.

"They'll start with about five student interns," Mangels said. Those students and Enterprise management will run the office from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday and by appointment Saturday and Sunday. While the company is expected to be used primarily for university business, faculty, staff and students also will have the option of renting vehicles for personal use at the standard rate.

According to a representative for Enterprise Rent-A-Car, a large number of faculty, staff and students at the university rent from Enterprise.

"We wanted to offer a more convenient option to meet their rental needs," the representative said in an email.

While data on the number of cars rented by the university was not readily available, Mangels said it's a frequent occurrence.

Faculty and staff attend conferences, administration frequently travels for statewide meetings, and admissions staff regularly travel to recruit at high schools. The arrangement is beneficial to the university, but it's also worthwhile to the community at large, Mangels said.

By taking the university out of the equation at the Kingshighway branch, parking will be more ample at the community location, and wait times will be shortened.

The representative for Enterprise said the new location will "give us the space we need to effectively serve our university customers and continue offering them the superior customer service they expect from Enterprise."

bbrown@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3630

Pertinent address:

920 Broadway, Cape Girardeau, MO

2008 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau, MO