Two decades of growth reflect changing transport needs across the country - Pace Car Rental

Pace Car Rental is celebrating 20 years in the South African car rental industry, marking two decades of providing flexible vehicle rental solutions to travellers, businesses, and individuals across the country.

Founded in 2006, Pace Car Rental has grown from a single operation into a national car rental network, with branches in major cities including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, George, Gqeberha, East London, and Umhlanga. Over the past two decades, the company has steadily expanded its fleet, branch footprint, and service offerings to meet the evolving mobility needs of South Africans.

This growth reflects broader changes in how people access transport and mobility services. Rising vehicle ownership costs, increased urban mobility demands, and shifting consumer preferences have contributed to a growing demand for flexible vehicle access rather than traditional car ownership.

As a result, vehicle rental and mobility services have become an increasingly important part of South Africa’s transport ecosystem, offering individuals and businesses the ability to access vehicles on demand without the long-term financial commitments associated with buying a vehicle.

“Over the past 20 years we have seen a major shift in how people approach mobility,” said a spokesperson from Pace Car Rental. “More individuals and businesses are looking for flexible solutions that allow them to access vehicles when they need them without the long-term financial commitment of ownership.”

Today, Pace Car Rental offers a diverse fleet of vehicles, including passenger cars, SUVs, bakkies, minibuses, panel vans, and trucks. This range enables the company to support a broad customer base, from leisure travellers and families to businesses requiring reliable transport for operations, staff mobility, and logistics.

The company has also continued to innovate within the vehicle rental sector, introducing services such as long-term car rental solutions and positioning itself as one of the early innovators of cash car rental options in South Africa.

These services have helped broaden access to vehicle rental, particularly for customers who may not have access to traditional credit-based payment options.

In recent years, Pace Car Rental has further expanded its focus on mobility accessibility by offering debit card and cash car rental options, helping make vehicle rental services more inclusive and accessible to a wider segment of the South African market.

This approach reflects the company’s commitment to removing barriers to mobility, enabling more South Africans to access reliable transport solutions for travel, work, and everyday life.

As the transport and mobility landscape continues to evolve, Pace Car Rental plans to continue expanding its branch network, growing its vehicle fleet, and investing in digital booking systems and customer experience improvements.

These developments are expected to further strengthen the company’s ability to provide convenient, flexible, and accessible rental solutions in an increasingly digitally connected mobility environment.

“Our goal has always been simple: make reliable mobility accessible,” the company added. “Reaching the 20-year milestone is an important moment for us, but it also marks the beginning of the next chapter.”

Looking ahead, Pace Car Rental says it remains focused on innovation, accessibility, and service excellence as it continues to support the changing transport needs of travellers, businesses, and communities across South Africa.