Lead time is the shortest period allowed between when a customer reserves a car and the actual moment the car is available. It is the time the rental company needs to prepare, i.e. to clean and inspect the vehicle, and make the necessary rental arrangements.
For some car rental companies the minimum lead time is only two hours, while for others it can be 24 hours. This means that the rental car is not available for pickup before the indicated lead time has elapsed.
The lead time depends on the rental company’s policies, but also on the size of their fleet.
Synonym(s):
- leadtime
- lead-time
