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PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Following the news about Toyota's recall and suspended production and sales of eight models, Avis Budget Group said in a statement Wednesday that, as a precautionary measure, it will be taking all of automaker's recalled units out of its U.S., Canadian and Puerto Rican fleets.

"The safety and peace of mind of our customers are a top priority for Avis Budget Group," executives noted. "In light of the safety concerns being raised about Toyota vehicles, we are taking the precaution of removing all of the approximately 20,000 cars that Toyota has identified for recall from our fleet in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico effective Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010."

The company went on to emphasize that the safety issues that caused Toyota to recall specific models have likely been spurred by "usage over time."

"It is important to note that the safety problems that have led to Toyota's recall of certain vehicles are believed to arise out of usage over time," officials noted. "Accordingly, we believe that all of the Toyotas in our fleet are safe, given the regular maintenance and the low mileage of our overall fleet, which we believe is the lowest of any major vehicle rental company in the U.S."

Auto Remarketing contacted to Avis to discover what the company will do with the vehicles it is removing from fleets. However, as of press time, the company has yet to respond.

Avis Budget Group also issued a measure of reassurance to its customers that it can meet their demand and provide a level of confidence.

"We also want to reassure our customers that Toyotas represent only a small percentage of our overall fleet, so we expect to be able to fulfill all projected customer demand and customers can make reservations with complete confidence for any rental occasion," executives noted.