Feds Close Books on Auto Bailout
The U.S. government lost $9.26 billion in its financial rescue of the auto industry, and closed out its last investment earlier this month six years after initiating the plan.
The U.S. government lost $9.26 billion in its financial rescue of the auto industry, and closed out its last investment earlier this month six years after initiating the plan.
The U.S. Treasury Department closed out its investment in Ally Financial on Dec. 19, selling an 11.4 percent stake in the auto lender and recovering $2.4 billion more than it invested, reports the Detroit News.
However, the bigger picture wasn't as profitable. Treasury recovered $70.43 billion of the $79.69 billion it gave to General Motors Corp., Crysler LLC, Chrysler Financial, and Ally. Ford Motor Co. declined to take financial assistance when the bailouts began in December of 2008. President George W. Bush allocated $25 billion, and President Barack Obama added another $55 billion.
The federal government's loss was better than initially expected. An early-2009 estimate put the loss at $44 billion. The Treasury Department gave final numbers in a Dec. 29 report on the program.
More Operations
Fleet Meets: Austin Schutte
Here are some industry insights, personal touches, and words of advice from the CEO and Founder of Anew Solutions.
Read More →
Soap Box Derby Challenge: What’s Powering Team Brown
The car is coming together, the students are solving real build problems, and the fleet industry is helping push Team Brown toward the starting line.
Read More →
Commercial Fleet Sales Contribute To June, YTD Gains
The fleet sector has boosted its vehicle purchases at a reliable pace in the first half of this year compared with 1H 2025.
Read More →
What Fleet Managers Really Want From Vendors
From customer service frustrations and technology breakdowns to RFQs, change management, and the growing impact of turnover across the industry, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the real operational challenges fleet managers are navigating every day.
Read More →
Fleet Safety Masterclass: Industry Leaders on Storytelling, Strategy & Innovation
In this special masterclass episode, industry leaders break down what it really takes to build safer fleets in today’s increasingly distracted and data-driven world.
Read More →
Integrating Legacy Fleet Systems and Historical Data
In this episode, we bring together fleet and technology leaders to unpack the realities of data integration, system migrations, and the evolving role of AI in fleet management.
Read More →
From Resistance to Results: Change Management Strategies for Fleets
From new technologies and safety programs to evolving regulations, fleets are under constant pressure to adapt. But as Dr. Betz explains, success isn’t about the system you implement—it’s about whether your people actually use it.
Read More →
Where We're Headed: A Practical Look at AI in Fleet
Discover how AI is actually being deployed in fleets, not just marketed, including practical use cases and emerging risks.
Read More →
How Coca-Cola United Protects Its Fleet from Growing Legal Risk
Growing legal exposure can put fleets at risk. Here's one company's approach.
Read More →
Fleet Managers Think They Understand Their Costs. The Data Says Otherwise.
Most fleet managers say they have a strong handle on their costs, but new research from Bobit Business Media tells a different story. A 2026 survey of 190 fleet professionals reveals a widespread "confidence gap" where fragmented systems, disconnected data, and delayed reporting are leaving major blind spots hidden beneath the surface. Find out what the data actually shows.
Read More →