LAKE CLEAR – Hertz Rent-A-Car will once again serve customers of the Adirondack Regional Airport.

The company has been recruited to provide services at the airport again, after a year’s absence, by a coalition that includes the Harrietstown town board, airport officials, some of the area’s biggest resorts and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism.

“We at Hertz have serviced the Adirondack area since the 1960s and are very excited to resume rentals again,” Alex Dolly, Hertz director of sales and business development wrote in a press release. “With the continued support of Harrietstown, the Adirondack Regional Airport, ROOST and local businesses we are confident in our ability to bring back the unparalleled service we provide. We look forward to reestablishing any previous business relationships, and of course, developing new ones.”

Two local companies have offered car rental service at the airport, Priceless and Countrywide, but airport Manager Corey Hurwitch said last month that they’re largely renting used, economy, high-mileage cars, and they have a limited number of them available. He said guests of some of the area’s resorts – like the Whiteface Lodge and The Point – who fly into the airport on their own private planes are looking for newer and higher-end rentals, like sport-utility vehicles.

In some cases, Hurwitch said the resorts’ customers are renting cars from Hertz and Avis in Plattsburgh, but the two companies charge big fees, on top of their regular fees, because they have to bring two people here to drop off a car.

It’s also affected customers of Cape Air, the airport’s commercial passenger service. Hurwitch said some people who used to fly into Lake Clear via Cape Air are instead going to the Plattsburgh airport because it has better car rental options.

Hurwitch, town leaders, ROOST officials and representatives of the resorts met with the Hertz and Avis recently to try and get them to set up shop at the airport.

“We are pleased to welcome Hertz back to the facility here in Harrietstown,” Hurwitch said in the press release. “This service is an essential amenity for visitors to the area, second homeowners, private aircraft owners and charter customers.”

Hertz opened an on-site staffed office at the airport earlier this week, and people are able to make online reservations as well, according to the release. The company will have a small fleet of vehicles at first.

“We’re confident that business volume will ultimately require a significant increase in the onsite Hertz fleet,” Hurwitch said.