ARA Expands Equipment Rental Guard Theft-Prevention Tools

The American Rental Association (ARA) is expanding its Equipment Rental Guard (ERG) program with new tools and a redesigned website aimed at strengthening theft prevention across the equipment rental industry.

Now in its second year, the ERG program was introduced in 2025 as an industry-developed initiative designed to help rental businesses identify suspicious activity and reduce equipment loss. The program provides members with access to alerts, training resources and shared intelligence intended to improve theft detection and prevention.

A major update to the program includes a redesigned website at equipmentrentalguard.org, which introduces streamlined navigation and expanded resources for users. The updated platform is intended to make it easier for rental businesses to access tools used in theft prevention and risk identification.

The new system also includes a problematic renter database and dashboard. This feature compiles ARA member-generated text alerts related to flagged renters and stolen equipment into a centralized database that can be searched by members and law enforcement agencies.

“Equipment theft is not just a financial issue — it disrupts operations, delays projects and impacts customers across the industry,” said Ryan White, ARA director of theft prevention. “With these new tools, we’re giving members greater visibility into potential risks and strengthening the industry’s ability to work together to prevent loss.”

ARA continues to encourage members to participate in ERG by enrolling in text alerts, using online training through RentalU, and contributing incident reports to the shared database.

The association is also hosting a Lunch & Learn session titled “What’s New with Equipment Rental Guard” on April 16 at 12 p.m. CST to highlight the program’s latest updates.