THE CAR AND TRUCK FLEET AND LEASING MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE
The vehicle maintenance and repair industries are experiencing a skilled labor shortage as technicians in the Baby Boomer demographic retire in greater numbers than those replacing them. The skilled labor shortage requires shops to pay more for skilled technicians, which translates into higher shop labor rates.
Higher labor costs will continue to increase the maintenance spend for routine repairs in 2020, especially at service facilities located in high-cost-of-living metro areas.
The robust economy is creating record numbers of new jobs and a subsequent labor shortage that is being exacerbated by the large wave of Baby Boomer retirements, but some see uncertainty of future market conditions.
Vehicle crash costs incurred by businesses from insurance premiums, repairs, lost productivity, and other expenses amounted to $57.9 billion in 2018 as compared to $47.4 billion in 2013, according to a new report.
More complex vehicle technology, higher labor rates due to the ongoing skilled labor shortage, higher tire prices, and increased use of synthetic motor oils are putting upward pressure on overall fleet maintenance costs.
Unscheduled vehicle downtime is not only a maintenance issue, it is also an accident-avoidance issue since, on average, 20% of a fleet’s vehicles annually incur downtime due to accidents.
A new report from the TMC/FleetNet America Vertical Benchmarking Program showed roadside failures rose 22% in first quarter of 2019 compared with the fourth quarter of 2018.
The latest Mitchell Cloud Estimating update integrates OEM repair procedures and service information during the creation of estimates and repair plans in an effort to support proper and safe vehicle repairs, according to the company.
Automotive diagnostics data and business solutions provider CarMD has released its latest CarMD Vehicle Health Index, an annual report designed to provide an overview of information related to check engine-related car repairs, costs, and trends.
Pep Boys Fleet is a brand-new program that puts a renewed focus on automotive service designed to better meet the needs of today’s growing fleets.