Rural Lifestyle Dealer's 2018 Dealer Business Trends & Outlook survey asked dealers to comment on opportunities in the rental market. According to the results, the majority of dealers do not yet have a rental department. About 40% say they rent equipment and skid steer loaders, tractors 40-100 horsepower, tractors less than 40 horsepower, backhoes and tillers make up the top 5 equipment categories rented. (See the table below for the complete list.)

The American Rental Assn. released a consumer survey report last year that dealers can put to use. For the professional contractor segment, 89% are planning to rent equipment in the next year. Location and convenience are the two largest deciding factors in choosing one rental store over another.

For the homeowner segment, when choosing one rental store over another, cost is the largest concern for customers under the age of 45, while location is more important for those over 45.

Go here to read the complete analysis of the 2018 Dealer Business Trends & Outlook Report.