April 16, 2020—A survey by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association found independent auto dealers remain open for the most part and almost half of them have retained their entire workforce amid COVID-19.
The survey of 880 used vehicle dealers conducted from April 11-14 showed 72 percent of the respondents are still open for business with social distancing protocols in place.
Some 27 percent of the dealerships reported having closed temporarily, and only 1 percent have closed permanently. In addition, the survey found 47 percent of dealers have kept their staffing level the same since March 1 and 1 percent have actually added employees.
Of the 52 percent that have cut staff, 56 percent have reduced their level by more than half. But 85 percent of those dealers said they have furloughed those employees with the intent to rehire them. According to the survey, 100 percent of the respondents applied for the federal government's Paycheck Protection Program loans.
To view the complete results of the NIADA COVID-19 Dealer Impact Survey, visit covid19.niada.com.
