<PAGE>
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
(RULE 14-101)
INFORMATION REQUIRED IN PROXY STATEMENT
SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Filed by the Registrant [X]
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [_]
Check the appropriate box:
[_] Preliminary Proxy Statement [_] CONFIDENTIAL, FOR USE OF THE
COMMISSION ONLY (AS PERMITTED BY
RULE 14A-6(E)(2))
[_] Definitive Proxy Statement
[X] Definitive Additional Materials
[X] Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule 14a-11(c) or Rule 14a-12
RENTAL SERVICE CORPORATION
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
[X] No fee required.
[_] Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and 0-11.
(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed
pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (Set forth the amount on which
the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(5) Total fee paid:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[_] Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[_] Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange
Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee
was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement
number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
(1) Amount Previously Paid:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(3) Filing Party:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(4) Date Filed:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
[TEXT OF JUNE 4, 1999 ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION]
As many of you already are aware, on May 21, 1999, RSC announced the termination
of our merger agreement with NationsRent. We want to commend and thank each of
you on your efforts to make the RSC/NationsRent merger a reality, but, in the
end, both parties mutually decided to make a clean break and go our separate
ways.
The termination of the NationsRent merger agreement, however, has not affected
United Rentals' tender offer, which is still pending, or its ongoing
solicitation of RSC's shareholders to remove RSC's Board of Directors. The
termination of the NationsRent merger also did not affect the Board's
recommendation with respect to the tender offer -- the Board is presently
maintaining its recommendation that RSC's shareholders reject the United
Rentals' offer.
RSC has also announced that its Board of Directors has directed RSC's financial
advisors -- Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Morgan
Stanley & Co. Incorporated -- to conduct a review of the strategic alternatives
available to RSC, including RSC remaining as an independent company, and to
present the results of their review to the Board. The Board, in turn, intends to
carefully evaluate the results of this review, decide what action is in the best
interests of RSC's shareholders and implement that decision. This process is
currently underway.
We continue to be proud of the hard work and dedication of all our employees
during this difficult and confusing time. We ask you to be patient and to
continue to focus on performing your job to the best of your abilities and on
pursuing the goals of our business -- not the least of which is providing
quality service to our customers.
You should know that RSC's management, its Board of Directors and a group of
highly experienced outside advisors are and will continue to handle these recent
developments appropriately and will continue to keep you informed of important
developments.
[See Next Page for Certain Information Concerning Participants]
<PAGE>
Certain Information Concerning Participants
Rental Service Corporation ("RSC") and certain other persons named below may be
deemed to be "participants" in the solicitation of revocations of consents in
response to the consent solicitation by United Rentals, Inc. ("United Rentals").
The participants in this solicitation may include the directors of RSC (Martin
R. Reid (Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer), William M. Barnum,
Jr., James R. Buch, David P. Lanoha, Christopher A. Laurence, Eric L. Mattson,
Britton H. Murdoch and John M. Sullivan); and the following executive officer:
Robert M. Wilson (Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Secretary
and Treasurer). As of May 31, 1999, Martin R. Reid beneficially owned 538,545
shares, or 2.2%, of RSC's common stock, and William M. Barnum, Jr. beneficially
owned 455,317 shares, or 1.8%, of RSC's common stock. None of the other
foregoing participants individually or in the aggregate beneficially owns in
excess of 1% of RSC's common stock.
Pursuant to the terms of separate engagement letters, each effective as of April
5, 1999, RSC retained Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
("Merrill Lynch") and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated ("Morgan Stanley") as
its financial advisors with respect to United Rentals' offer to purchase RSC's
common stock, for which Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley may receive substantial
fees. Pursuant to the engagements of Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, RSC has
also agreed to reimburse each of Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley, respectively,
for certain reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including the reasonable fees and
disbursements of legal counsel) and to indemnify each of Merrill Lynch and
Morgan Stanley and certain respective related parties from and against certain
liabilities, including liabilities under the federal securities laws, arising
out of their respective engagements.
Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley are investment banking firms that provide a
full range of financial services for institutional and individual clients.
Although neither Merrill Lynch nor Morgan Stanley admit that they or any of
their respective directors, officers, employees or affiliates are a
"participant," as defined in Schedule 14A promulgated under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or that such Schedule 14A requires the
disclosure of certain information concerning Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley,
each of Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley may assist RSC in such a solicitation.
In the normal course of business, each of Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley may
trade securities of RSC for its own account and the account of its customers
and, accordingly, may at any time hold a long or short position in such
securities. As of June 1, 1999, Merrill Lynch held a net long position of 436
shares of RSC's common stock. As of June 1, 1999, Morgan Stanley held a net
short position of 17,100 shares of RSC's common stock. In connection with its
role as financial advisors to RSC, Merrill Lynch and the following investment
banking employees of Merrill Lynch may communicate in person, by telephone or
otherwise with a limited number of institutions, brokers or other persons who
are stockholders of RSC: Paul A. Stefanick, James H. Caldwell and Jack C.
MacDonald. In connection with its role as financial advisors to RSC, Morgan
Stanley and the following investment banking employees of Morgan Stanley may
communicate in person, by telephone or otherwise with a limited number of
institutions, brokers or other persons who are stockholders of RSC: R. Bradford
Evans, Paul J. Taubman, Glenn R. Robson, Neil B. Morganbesser and Pietro
Cinquegrana.
