Mileage is one of the few costs in a rental that the customer controls directly. A clear mileage policy protects the vehicle, makes the rental price understandable and prevents awkward conversations at the return desk. In VEVS Car Rental Software, Mileage Limits let you decide, for each fleet category, whether mileage is unlimited or whether a fixed allowance is included, how that allowance is measured and whether it applies per day or to the whole rental. This article explains the settings, the two allowance modes and the practical choices behind them.
What mileage limits are
Mileage limits are the rules that define how much driving is included with a rental in a given fleet category. You choose between unlimited mileage and a fixed allowance per category. Because the setting belongs to the category rather than to an individual vehicle, the policy stays consistent across every car in that group and is simple to explain at the counter and on the website. The allowance applies to future bookings for the category, so a change becomes visible to customers on their next reservation rather than altering bookings already made.
Where to access the settings
In the admin area, open the Configurator section in the left menu and choose Mileage Limits. The page shows a table with one row per fleet category. Each row has the Fleet Category name with a pencil icon to open it for editing, an Unlimited switch, the Included Mileage with its unit and mode, and a read-only Packages summary with a pencil icon to edit the packages. The compact table makes it easy to compare categories side by side before saving.
| Column | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Fleet Category | The category name, with a pencil icon to open it for editing. |
| Unlimited | A switch that gives the category unlimited mileage with no allowance to track. |
| Included Mileage | The included distance, with the unit (km or miles) and the mode, Per day or Total. |
| Packages | A read-only summary of mileage packages for the category, with a pencil icon to edit them. |
Setting the included mileage
Turn off Unlimited to reveal the Included Mileage field. Enter the included distance, choose the unit the business uses, and select how the allowance is measured. Per day means the allowance applies to each day of the rental. Total means the allowance applies to the whole rental. Then click Save. The choice of unit matters for clarity: the same number reads very differently depending on whether customers expect kilometres or miles, so match the unit to the market you serve.
How to change a category
- Open Configurator and choose Mileage Limits.
- For each category, switch on Unlimited, or switch it off and set the Included Mileage with a mode.
- Click Save.
A confirmation message appears when the settings are saved successfully. Take a moment to re-read the table afterwards, because the difference between per-day and total allowance is easy to overlook when you are moving quickly down the category list.
What happens next
- The allowance applies to future bookings for the category.
- Mileage packages set for the category continue to be shown in the Packages column.
- A confirmation message appears when the settings are saved successfully.
Unlimited versus a fixed allowance
Unlimited mileage is a simple promise: the customer does not need to think about distance. It suits categories where driving is the point of the rental and where unpredictability is part of the trip. A fixed allowance gives the business a defined position and makes the rental price correspond to a known amount of use. Neither option is inherently better; the right answer depends on the vehicle, the typical journey and how the category is sold. What matters is consistency, because a category that promises one thing online and another at the desk erodes trust.
Per day versus total
Per day
A per-day allowance applies to each day of the rental. As the rental lengthens, the included distance grows with it, which matches the habits of customers who drive a similar amount every day. Use Per day for a steady daily allowance that is easy to explain in a rate table or a booking summary.
Total
A total allowance applies once to the whole rental, regardless of how many days it lasts. Use Total when you want a single allowance for the entire rental, which can suit short breaks, local use or any category where the trip length does not really change how far the customer travels.
Mileage packages
The Packages column is a read-only summary of the mileage packages set up for the category, with a pencil icon to edit them directly from this page. Packages give you a way to handle the allowance at a more detailed level than the single included figure. One important interaction is worth remembering: mileage packages cannot be created for a category set to unlimited mileage, and when Unlimited is on, the Included Mileage and Packages settings are hidden. If you intend to use packages, keep the category on a fixed allowance.
Business benefits
A well-chosen mileage policy supports pricing, fleet protection and customer trust at the same time. A fixed allowance makes the cost of a rental more predictable for the business and the customer, while unlimited mileage removes a common objection for travellers planning longer routes. Setting the policy at category level keeps the message consistent across every vehicle in that group and avoids staff having to remember a different rule for each car. Clear units and a clear mode reduce disputes at the return desk, and the packages summary lets you adjust the offer without hunting through separate screens.
Practical use cases
A city fleet used for short local trips may work well with a modest per-day allowance, because most customers cover a predictable distance. A category aimed at holiday drivers may be easier to sell with unlimited mileage, removing the need to explain a limit during booking.
A weekend or short-break category can use a total allowance, since the trip is one journey rather than a daily routine. A mixed fleet can combine all three approaches across categories, provided the website wording and the contract match the setting in the system.
Best practices
- Decide the unit, km or miles, to match the market and use it consistently across categories.
- Choose Per day for a steady daily allowance and Total for one allowance across the rental.
- Review each category deliberately rather than applying one policy everywhere by habit.
- Keep package availability in mind, since packages cannot be created for an unlimited category.
- Confirm the change by checking the save message and re-reading the row.
- Make sure the allowance described on your website and in the rental terms matches the setting.
Important behaviour and special cases
- When Unlimited is on, the Included Mileage and Packages settings are hidden.
- Mileage packages cannot be created for a category set to unlimited mileage.
- Editing and saving require permission; otherwise the page is shown read-only.
- The allowance applies to future bookings for the category.
Conclusion
Mileage limits are a small table with a wide reach: they shape the price the customer sees, the questions the counter team answers and the way the fleet is used. Choose unlimited or a fixed allowance for each category on purpose, pick the unit and mode that fit your market, and keep packages in view. A consistent, clearly explained mileage policy makes the rental easier to sell and easier to honour.