Yaneek Page | Help in starting a rent-a-car company

Question: Hello Yaneek. I am a returning resident and I have a keen interest in starting a rental car company. I would like to serve the higher-end of the tourism market, and Jamaicans who live outside the country but visit from time to time. I observe that when you come from overseas and want to rent a car, it is usually Toyota Corollas and Nissan cars that are available for rent, which are not very spacious or comfortable. I have been trying unsuccessfully to contact the respective officers at the TPDCo to get information on how to be certified to provide this service and what is the process to receive duty concessions on the motor vehicles I import for the business. I have called several times and each time I am transferred to an extension and nobody answers. I really want some help to get this information, and your general feedback on my ideas. So, would you be so kind and willing to use your connections for me, please?

 

Businesswise: I truly admire your love for Jamaica and your passion to return home and launch a business, particularly having identified a need and various gaps in the market that may make for a promising entrepreneurial opportunity. While I have no special connections, as you put it, I resorted to good, old-fashioned research to get the information you need.

Conducting Research for Your Business: I will briefly explain my research process since you’ll need to conduct much more in the future. I started with Google, and typed ‘how to acquire a licence for a car rental company in Jamaica’, in the search engine bar, which generated over six million results. As it would be virtually impossible to search six million results, I made note of the top results from official government entities and news sources. I then modified my original search phrase to include key words such as JIS (Jamaica Information Service), GOJ (Government of Jamaica), JTB (Jamaica Tourist Board), TPDCo (Tourism Product Development Company), Jamaica Customs Agency, and so on. In so doing, I received the top search results germane to my specific interests. Interestingly, the top result was a document titled ‘Motor Car Rental Company Licence’ found on the website of TPDCo at the following link http://www.tpdco.org › pre-req-CAR-RENT-2014.

It contained a schedule of requirements/documents to be submitted with an application for licence dated September 17, 2014. I then called the TPDCo office to confirm that the form I found online was current, to get clarity on some of the requirements, to ascertain if there were fees or costs since none were listed on the requirements, and to get details on the nature of the concessions or waivers that may be available and the steps to apply. Unfortunately, I had a similar experience to yours when calling the TPDCo. I was transferred to extensions that rang without an answer. However, I persisted, called back and let the receptionist know no one was answering. She explained that the officers are travelling personnel who are frequently on the road. She then shared a mobile number for an officer who she said could assist.

Unfortunately, that number rang without answer too. I persisted and called back the office. The receptionist gave me another mobile number for a different officer, which also went unanswered. So, I called back again, and this time asked for email addresses so I could send them an email, which I did. Eventually my calls were returned, and a response to my email was received. I was able to get the following information for you, not through connections, but persistence:

The most current motor car rental licence company requirements document is dated 2019 and available on the TPDCo website where you will also find the application form. The application/licence fee is $10,000 Jamaican. The licence must be renewed annually and the renewal fee is also $10,000.

The requirements include, but are not limited to the following:

 Minimum of five motor cars, or 10 motor cars if operator intends to apply for car concession after one year of being licensed

 Appropriate washroom facilities

 Office(s) to be adequately staffed with trained personnel

 Telephone/communication system installed and in operation

 Identification sign to be clearly marked and displayed

 Company must operate from a registered office in a commercial area

 Recommendation assessment report from TPDCo

 Vehicles must be registered in operating company’s name

 First aid kit and fire extinguishers to be strategically placed

Documents to be submitted:

 Completed application form with required documentation submitted to manager, licence processing unit, TPDCo.

 Copy of certificate of incorporation

 Copy of registration of business name (where applicable, i.e., if business name is different from the name of the company)

 Letter of good standing from the Companies Office of Jamaica (where applicable)

 Copy of tax registration number (TRN)

 List of directors (where applicable)

 Copy of public liability insurance

 Approval from local planning authority (e.g., Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation, St James Municipal Corporation, etc.)

 Permission to operate from location: title/certified lease or rental agreement (where applicable)

 Fleet list indicating year, type, model and licence number (vehicles must be registered in the name of the company making the application)

 Copy of deposit requirement terms and conditions of rental and cancellation and refund policy

 Copy of work permit(s) (where applicable)

Unfortunately, up to the time of writing this article I was not provided with written responses regarding the concessions or waivers available and the application process, among other questions I asked. However, the officers I spoke with were helpful and pleasant, and have promised to provide the information in short order, which I hope to share with you and my other readers in another column. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to them again, even if it requires multiple calls, voice messages, text messages and emails. I understand you have been away for some time, and this is an approach which may now be foreign to you, but it is often effective at home.

One love, Yaneek

Yaneek Page is the programme lead for Market Entry USA and a certified trainer in entrepreneurship. She’s also the creator and executive producer of The Innovators and Let’s Make Peace TV series.