The recent shortage in microchips and other delays have caused headaches for both private buyers and public entities looking to buy cars. Officials around the country, including the Union County Sheriff’s Office, are preparing to wait longer for vehicles. (Journal-Tribune photo by Mac Cordell)
Delays in auto production are creating problems not only for private consumers, but also for public customers.
Each year, Union County and local municipalities purchase dozens of vehicles. This year, delivery of those vehicles could be delayed significantly.
“We are aware of that and we know that anyone who submits requests for vehicles, it is going to be late into 2022 before they take delivery,” said Union County Administrator Tim Hansley.
In a message to Hansley, officials from Enterprise Fleet Management, a company working to get a vehicle contract with Union County, said “the automotive industry continues to experience disruptions and delays primarily due to the global supply chain issues and particularly the microchip shortage.”
The company is reporting that new vehicle inventory levels have decreased 59% since August 2020 and 5% since July 2021.
“Supply chain disruptions have reduced dealer inventory. Availability of work trucks and vans are still being impacted,” according to Enterprise. “We strongly recommend placing vehicle orders for 2022 models as soon as the ordering banks are open.”
Local officials say they understand the supply shortage will only intensify as countries, cities, townships and villages around the country start to make their requests for 2022.
Enterprise is advising potential customers that delays are “expected to continue for the remainder of the 2021 model year and into the 2022 model year.”
Hansley said it is difficult to even know what needs ordered until the budget process begins in earnest.
“We do not have specifics because we don’t have the requests until they come through the budget request process,” Hansley said.
Though he did say most of the elected officials and department heads that could need vehicles “are aware of the delays.”
Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton said he knows all about the delays and is working to get his order in as early as possible. He said there is a vehicle replacement schedule so he already knows what he should be ordering in 2021- six new cruisers.
While many entities use the state’s procurement system, Patton said he takes the state price to a local dealership that matches the price.
“They told me to get my orders in as soon as I could,” Patton said.
The sheriff said he was told vehicles that would usually take six to eight weeks for delivery could take six to eight months this year.
Patton said he is trying to get special permission to place his order before the budget process is actually complete.
Hansley said the delays could cause changes in the budget. He explained that if vehicles will not be delivered until later in the year, the county will likely need to budget more for maintenance of older vehicle until the new ones arrive.
“We are going to hold onto the vehicles that we have, that maybe we normally would have traded off,” Hansley said.
He acknowledged that it is often better to take the state-bid price to a local vendor to see if they will match it. This year, he warned that might not be a good option.
“If they can match the price, but can’t produce the vehicle, it is worthless,” Hansley said.
Nathan Cahall, Plain City’s administrator, said the village is planning to purchase two vehicles – a police cruiser and a public works truck this year.
“We are being told not to expect them for at least six months,” Cahall said.
He said he is also hearing about difficulty with the state bid prices.
Given the information he has, Cahall said there is a chance the village will try to use one of the vehicles for another year rather than buy right now. He said he knows that will increase maintenance costs for the year, “but that’s the judgement call we all have to try to make right now.”
Cahall said Plain City is not a big buyer and has the option to wait, but he feels for those groups who make large purchases and need the vehicles soon.
Marysville Finance Director Brad Lutz said the city will buy multiple cruisers and vehicles this year, but is not worried about the delays.
“We aren’t hearing anything like that,” Lutz said. “There is really only a couple vehicles we may have a little trouble sourcing.”
He said the city typically does not use vehicles through the end of their life, so if the new vehicles are delayed, “we will be fine.”
“We have planned well enough in the past to get us through any delay,” Lutz said.
Monte Asher, village administrator and police chief in Richwood, said this is not an issue for his village.
“We are in good shape,” Asher said. “We actually just purchased a couple vehicles in the last couple of years for the police and the village.”
He said Richwood likely won’t need to order another vehicle until 2023.
“But we will keep an eye on it and we might order it late next year so we get it the year after,” Asher said.
He said there is a chance the village will need to order a piece of heavy equipment for the public works department, though he doesn’t know if there is a backup on those vehicles.
Cahall said he has not heard about delays in the heavy equipment sector, though Marysville Fire Lt. Cole Tomlin said there is a backup for the fire truck that will be ordered next year.
“Unfortunately, the turn-around time on those is extended right now because Sutphen has so many orders,” Tomlin said.