CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for passenger car rental agencies in Rhode Island
45 passenger car rental agencies operated in Rhode Island in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 45CBP 2023
- Employees
- 330mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 4.0U.S. 2.8
- State rank
- 40th of 51by count
The car rental agency industry in Rhode Island
Rhode Island had 45 passenger car rental agencies in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 532111, Passenger Car Rental). They employed 330 people in mid-March and reported $17.8 million in annual payroll. That is the 40th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Passenger car rental agencies make up 0.15% of the 29,510 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Rhode Island has 4.0 passenger car rental agencies, 44.1% above the national rate of 2.8.
| Measure | Rhode Island | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 45 | 9,548 |
| Mid-March employees | 330 (moderate noise) | 84,637 (high noise) |
| Annual payroll | $17,778,000 (moderate noise) | $4,246,355,000 (high noise) |
| Employees per establishment | 7.3 | — |
| Payroll per employee | $53,873 | — |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 4.0 | 2.8 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Where passenger car rental agencies in Rhode Island are concentrated
Census published car rental agency counts for 1 metro or micropolitan area that include part of Rhode Island. The largest is Providence, RI-MA, with 61 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans).
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence, RI-MA | 61 | — | 3.6 |
Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Team sizes at passenger car rental agencies in Rhode Island
46.7% of Rhode Island's passenger car rental agencies with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 46.7% nationally. 77.8% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 21 | 46.7% | 46.7% |
| 5–9 employees | 14 | 31.1% | 30.5% |
| 10–19 employees | 6 | 13.3% | 15.2% |
| 20–49 employees | 4 | 8.9% | 4.7% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 2.9% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Calls a car rental agency in Rhode Island has to catch
Rental agencies take reservation, extension and return calls. Independent and franchise locations rely on the phone for local customers. That holds for passenger car rental agencies in Rhode Island as much as anywhere.
Calls a car rental agency in Rhode Island might handle in a typical week include:
- The agency calls a customer about a late return.
- A customer calls about a damage question.
- A body shop calls to arrange a replacement vehicle.
After-hours calls
After-hours calls are usually about returns and reservations.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for passenger car rental agencies in Rhode Island
Passenger car rental agencies in Rhode Island average 7.3 employees, so the comparison uses a 7-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $174.65 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $210.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 7 people cost $139.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $852. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $139.00 | $1,668.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $133.00 | $1,596.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $161.00 | $1,932.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $174.65 | $2,095.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $189.00 | $2,268.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $210.00 | $2,520.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Rhode Island
Rhode Island has 1 geographic area code in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your renters know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 401 | 581 | Eastern | 1947 | none |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for passenger car rental agencies in Rhode Island
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Rhode Island, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many passenger car rental agencies are in Rhode Island?
45 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 330 people in mid-March.
Which Rhode Island metro area has the most passenger car rental agencies?
Providence, RI-MA, with 61 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 7-person car rental agency?
$210.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $174.65 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $139.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Rhode Island number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.