September 22, 2021

Thank you Vitu for sponsoring the event and a big thanks to all that attended the MTADA 4th Annual Trapshoot on September 13th. A lot of fun was had by both shooter and spectator alike. The day was filled with networking, food, and prizes for the sharpest shooter. We hope to see you at our next event! Learn more at mtada.com.

Unless you live under a rock, you know full-well the crisis of workforce shortage in all the skilled trade industries. The automotive industry certainly is no exception to this problem. The lack of qualified service technicians is one of the most significant struggles dealerships face across the state and nation.

Most dealerships have team members who are responsible for accounting and finance. These individuals might be trained in the position or hired for their expertise. Because managing a dealership is complex, it is easy for dealership owners and managers to entrust these individuals with their tasks without strict internal controls, regular check-ins or process and technology assessments.

COVID-19 changed every aspect of our society, including the way dealerships operate and how consumers purchase vehicles. As states reopen and businesses return to normal operations, some key trends will continue even after the coronavirus is under control. Here is what you can expect to see post-pandemic and how to position your dealership for success in the long run.

During the first quarter of 2021, the number of EV sales in the U.S. was greater than 300,000. More specifically, EV sales outperformed the overall market and increased 81% when compared against Q1 2020. The following table shows the exact numbers:
The largest growth was for hybrids and plug-in hybrids. The reason is obvious. Although an increasing number of people are buying EV technology to help counter high gas prices and reduce their carbon footprint, they don’t want to risk running out of fuel when traveling, even if traveling only consists of a short commute. Federal tax credits on some popular models have been phased out, though, and that has caused a corresponding decline in sales. The pandemic also caused a decline, but it wasn’t as big as many people feared when the economy first shut down in March 2020.

Thank you to all our dealers who made time to attend the convention and to those sponsors who supported the event!

Our 107th Annual Family Convention was a huge hit! We hope to see you next year in Billings!

On Nov. 3, 2020, almost 57% of Montana’s voters approved Ballot Issue I-190, which legalized medical marijuana in the state. Half of Montana’s counties approved the measure, which means that legalization will occur by default in those counties. The counties where voters did not approve recreational marijuana will need most voters to reverse their decision before recreational marijuana can become legal in those counties.

One of the most important benefits of good car maintenance is that you will give the vehicle a longer life. Ideally, maintaining your car will not require as much repair on its parts. You should regularly check the fluid levels, tire pressure, lights, brakes, and battery. If you keep these parts in good shape, they’ll likely last longer. The same applies to the human body.

Q: You won the 2021 MTADA Eagle Award! What does winning the Eagle Award mean for you?

A: The Eagle Award is given to those who strengthen the association. I was touched to be considered for it.
I’ve been working hard the last few years on behalf of the association to get my young partners into MTADA and NADA. I’ve also brought our dealerships into the insurance trust to support the association. It was really neat to get the award after my work in those two areas.

My background has always been in the service business. I studied diesel technology at college, and then I went into road construction after that. I applied all of what I learned to the construction work I did. Now that we have the dealership, my background has really helped us with our shop.
We have a lot of trucks because we have a lot of construction customers. Many of them are people I’ve worked with. My uncle and I each own half of the dealership, but Marvin also has a large construction outfit.