Since 2026, the domestic car rental industry has entered a critical window period of standardized and high-quality development. The Ministry of Transport, in conjunction with ten departments, has officially issued the "Three Year Action Plan for Promoting High Quality Development of Small and Micro Bus Rental (2026-2028)", which sets a clear track for the industry's development in the next three years, completely changing the fragmented, non-standard, and uneven service status of the rental industry in the past, and becoming the core policy dividend driving the industry's transformation and upgrading.
This new policy clarifies the overall development goals of the industry, proposing to fully establish a reasonably laid out, convenient, efficient, safe and high-quality small and micro bus rental service network by 2028. We will focus on promoting full coverage of transportation hub networks, achieving standardized layout of car rental services at national civil aviation airports and high-speed railway stations. At the same time, we will promote popular tourist routes and free or low-cost remote return services in key provinces, making the one-stop travel mode of "high-speed rail/civil aviation+on-site car rental" widely popularized and completely breaking down the last mile barrier for cross city travel.
In addition to upgrading the service network, the new policy also focuses on industry compliance and convenience reform. In response to long-standing consumer complaints about invisible consumption, disorderly deposit, and disputes over car returns and exchanges, the policy clearly requires standardizing the leasing transaction process, disclosing fee standards, and improving after-sales rights protection mechanisms. At the same time, leading companies in the industry jointly signed a self-discipline agreement and launched a commitment to convenient services, forcing the industry to bid farewell to extensive development and move towards standardized and transparent operations.
At the level of industrial development, the new policy focuses on supporting sub sectors such as new energy leasing, cultural and tourism rental, long-term leasing for enterprises, and rental purchasing agents. It also includes favorable policies such as subsidies for fleet procurement and new business models. According to industry predictions, the domestic car short-term rental market is expected to maintain an average annual growth rate of around 15% during the 15th Five Year Plan period. As policies continue to be implemented, car rental will upgrade from an auxiliary mode of transportation to a core choice for mass self driving and business commuting, officially entering a new stage of high-quality growth for the industry.
