Topics discussed included the state of 2021-MY vehicle orders; how to minimize order-to-delivery times, how fleets can expedite turnaround time with upfitters, and forecasts for 2021 fleet ordering.
Today's video looks at the state of 2021-MY vehicle orders; how to minimize order-to-delivery times, how fleets can expedite turnaround time with upfitters, and forecasts for 2021 fleet ordering.
During the pre-pandemic period, 2020 OTD became extended due to a GM strike and strong order demand. The onset of the pandemic nearly halted OTD by idling non-essential fleets and closure of all OEM assembly plants.
Upfitters experienced a whipsaw effect of robust fleet orders straining their pre-pandemic production capacity and within the space of a month were struggling with chassis shortages due to the suspension of vehicle production.
During the 2020 model-year, the fleet industry did not experience significant railcar-related issues as seen in past model-years. However, fleets did report transportation issues with car haulers and last-mile deliveries to the dealers.
Big Data, tax law changes, new vehicle options, fuel prices, and more, are impacting fleets decisions about when to replace their trucks.
Strong demand for light- and medium-duty trucks in the 2018 model-year increased order-to-delivery (OTD) times, resulting in widespread upfitter backlogs despite reduced fleet allocation availability due to competing strong retail demand for trucks.
With the increasing demand and growth of the commercial truck and van segments – particularly among utilities and service industries – the percentage of upfitted vehicles is growing. Upfitters are feeling the pressure of increased demand. In recent years, the huge influxes of vehicles needing upfitting have left some upfitters, at times, overwhelmed.
Vehicle spec’ing is a major component of fleet management, and the ability to successfully handle challenges can help make the job a little bit easier for those who manage vans and trucks.
Strong demand from retail and fleet customers helped fuel truck and van sales in 2015. While good news for OEMs, this increased production volume resulted in order-to-delivery (OTD) delays. Experts offer suggestions on how to improve OTD.