The history of vehicle hire

From chariot-renting Romans to the Teutonic entrepreneurs of the 1900s, vehicle hire has a long and storied history. Grab a mug of cocoa – it's story time.

Talking of chariots, these two-wheeled runarounds may have been the first vehicles ever put up for rent – or, at least, the first that we know about.

Experts believe that savvy Romans would rent out chariots in return for a few gold coins.

Our Italian forbears considered chariots a good financial investment and would put them up for rent to those who wished to sponsor a gladiator.

Not only were Romans great thinkers and innovators, but it seems they knew their way around business too.

The 1900s: the car hire industry is born

Of course, when we think of vehicle hire nowadays, we think of automobiles – not chariots. When did "horseless carriages" (as the Victorians called them) first hit the rental market?

The closest thing we have to a definitive date is 1904. In that year, a bicycle shop in Minneapolis is believed to have offered an automobile for rent.

A short period later (roughly eight years), the first dedicated hire firm was founded in Germany. At first, the firm had just three vehicles on offer, though its fleet quickly expanded.

This quick expansion started a ripple effect. Before anyone knew it, rental companies were popping up left, right and centre.

It became big business in America. By 1927, one company alone had branches in more than 85 cities. At this point, it felt that everyone wanted a piece of the pie and before long, companies had stiff competition and the public had multiple options to choose from.

In the 1920s, it was thought that most people usually rented cars as they were too expensive for most people to buy outright. This, in turn, caused hire firms to grow much more quickly than anyone could have predicted.

The 1950s: the industry goes global

The demand for cars from the 1940s onwards skyrocketed. With individuals having higher disposable income after the war and a rise in travel, rental companies went worldwide.

At this point, many owned their own cars. However, people still found it beneficial to rent because of their lifestyle and the flexibility it offered. With short-term and long-term rental options available by this point, it's easy to see why business was booming.

The second half of the 20th century saw an even bigger boom in the financial and public sector which then lead to rental companies partnering with businesses. 

This helped rental companies grow even more and paved the way for some of them to become the global car hire giants of our time.

The 1990s and beyond

The number of rental companies across the world has increased exponentially. With demand higher than ever for rental services, it's not a big shock to us that more and more people are renting every year.

Once upon a time, renting a vehicle was a bit of a headache. It required tonnes of paperwork and a lot of strong coffee – but now it's simpler than ever.

To have a rental vehicle at your fingertips, nowadays all you need is your driving licence, proof of address and a DVLA check code. Oh – and a card to pay with, of course.

Gone are the days of trawling through paperwork for the sake of half a day's rental.

2002: Metro Vehicle Hire is founded

The most important date in the vehicle hire timeline (to us, at least) is 2002. This is the year that Metro Vehicle Hire was born.

Since then, we've grown into the trusted business we are today. We now have around 90 vehicles, ranging from daily drivers to spacious vans to 17-seat minibuses.

We pride ourselves on being able to offer a personable service from our family-owned independent hire firm, all while offering vehicles that are maintained to the highest standard at affordable prices.

If you want to hire a horse and chariot, you've come to the wrong place! However, if it's a car, van or minibus you're after, then you're on the right road.

With a huge fleet of vehicles to choose from and an exceptionally helpful team on hand, Metro Vehicle Hire is here to make your experience go as smoothly as possible. Looking for competitively priced vehicle hire in Newcastle or Gateshead? Don't hesitate to get in touch today.