Have no fear, Covid19 is here!
Hello everybody and welcome to the Ninja Dispatch blog. We’re going to discuss our opinions and thoughts on the industry of being a car hauler during a global pandemic.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, we are currently in the middle of an airborne pandemic by the name of Covid19 or Coronavirus. Sources say the virus originated in the lovely city of Wuhan, China sometime in late 2019 and soon after started spreading around the world.
Covid19 has since effected just about every industry. Because the virus spreads by close human contact the majority of businesses had to shut down, causing record unemployment.
Business have shut down and some states have enforced mandatory “stay at home” orders.
These laws forbid travel outside of a persons home, unless it’s urgent and/or necessary.
How is car hauler dispatch going during Covid19?
At Ninja Dispatch we’ve seen a decline in business because of the virus and the lockdowns that have occurred.
Some of our drivers live in cities that are at the epicenter of the outbreak, therefore they do not want to leave their families behind. These cities being Detroit and New York City.
Truck driving is relatively safe during a pandemic. Drivers stay inside of their truck and have contact with very few people.
Car Haulers have been deemed as “essential workers” by the government. If our driver wants to go and haul, there is no problem from a legal point of view.
Car hauler problems during Covid19
The issues that we’ve come across while dispatching car haulers is the decline in the vehicles that are being shipped.
There is a noticeable difference in the number vehicles are being posted to be shipped on Central Dispatch and other load boards. March and April are the time of year that signal an increase of business. This year we’ve seen a decline in business, rather than an increase as in previous years.
One broker said to us, “We have a decline in the amount of leads that we get. Before the pandemic we were calling on 10 vehicles an hour. Now it’s down to maybe 1-2 an hour, if that.”
Cars not being sold
The biggest problem facing car haulers during this pandemic is that cars are just not being sold.
The job of an auto transporter is to bring someone a car. The majority of the times, these cars are vehicles that have been sold at a dealership or at an auction. If nobody is going to car dealerships to buy cars, then there won’t be as many cars that need transportation dispatch.
According to IHS Markit, they expect global auto sales worldwide to decline up to 22% this year alone due to the virus. This means that fewer cars will need to be transported by car haulers because there are less cars being bought.
Customers are afraid to interact with drivers
Because the virus travels by air, some of our customers have been afraid to interact with our drivers. Some of our loads that needed transported have been put on standby until the pandemic starts to clear up.
Drivers are on the forefront, driving to clients houses, dealerships and auctions. Some clients have developed a paranoia due to the amount of people a car hauler will interact with.
We at Ninja Dispatch can safely say that not of our drivers have had any of the symptoms of Covid19. They are working full-time, keeping person-to-person contact to a minimum and following safety precautions.
Cars need moving and Ninja Dispatch and our drivers are here to take them, even in the middle of a pandemic!
Snowbirds aren’t flying North just yet
All car haulers love the snowbirds. You know who we’re talking about.
Snowbirds are the fortunate people that have a house in both the Northern United States and Southern part as well. The majority of snowbirds live in the beautiful state of Florida.
April is the time that we have the most snowbirds that need to be transported from Florida. This year we’ve seen a decline due to the pandemic. Cars that were supposed to be shipped in the middle of April are now going in May.
These clients are hesitant to go back North so soon. There’s so much unknown in this whole Covid19 situation that everybody is staying put. This means the snowbirds have delayed their flight North.
Are the tough times here to stay?
We’ve told you about some of the problems that are effecting us here when dispatching car haulers.
Now lets jump into what our predictions are for the future and how this whole situation may play out.
The Fed keeps pumping money
Does the $1,200 stimulus check tickle your fancy? This nice little pump that he US government is giving out should hopefully start to trickle into the automobile industry.
The stimulus should be used for the necessities of life, however we wouldn’t be surprised to see some people using the money to treat themselves to a nice new car.
If people are buying new cars, the car haulers will be there to help them transport the vehicle.
Buy a car during the pandemic, get 0% APR for 84 months
Dealerships have been cutting down their interest rates on new cars. Lower rates are believed to help incentivize consumers to purchase new cars. Some dealers are even offering 0% APR for 84 months!
At Ninja Dispatch we believe that we should see a rise in car sales going into May. The low interest rates and stimulus check, should be able to give the automobile industry a boost. Dealership and car manufactures have stock that they will need moved around.
When the automobile industry gets a boost, the car haulers start hitting the road.
Quick Side note:
If you’re reading this and thinking about buying a car, make sure you do your research. Loans can often times be predatory in nature. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure you read all the fine details and see if it’s truly something you want to take advantage of.
Car hauler dispatch service, even during a global pandemic
Has the car marketplace taken a hit since Covid19 appeared on the scene? You’re damn right it has! But, so has every other business out there.
Does that mean that we stop working? Hell no! We keep on moving forward, because as they say the only constant is change.
There are fewer cars out there being shipped, this is a fact. At Ninja Dispatch that means we have to hunt that much harder. We do not stop until our drivers trailer is loaded and ready to roll.
We are in the midst of an unprecedented time, but there is one thing we know for sure. The one’s that are hustling during this time period will be greatly rewarded when things pick back up. If you’re a car hauler that can make your business work during a pandemic, well you’re going to be kicking ass once it’s gone!
If you’re a car hauler and you’re looking for a reliable dispatch service during Coronavirus, feel free to drop us an email at: office@ninjadispatch.com or call us toll-free at 1-888-853-4778.