May 19th, 2009
Dealers are closing at an alarming pace and one of the most devastating effects is not that we can no longer buy a car when we need one. When we make an acceptable amount of cars available through less dealers then it is more efficient and will help the auto industry survive but one of the efficiencies is that there are now fewer jobs in the industry. This coupled with similar cutbacks in most industries has pushed the unemployment rate up and left many communities scrambling to attract employers. Apparently the city of Woods Cross Utah has plenty of jobs and is instead fighting the expansion of the Manheim auction there.
March 26th, 2009
Lancasteronline seems to do a more critical than normal reort on an unforunate accident in the detail shop at Manheim auction. An SUV backed into 3 workers detailing a car sending the driver and the three that were hit all to the hospital.
here is a quote from the article:
By BRETT HAMBRIGHT, Staff Writer
Police said accidents are common at Manheim Auto Auction because of the large work force and moving vehicles. One officer said police are dispatched there in response to accidents almost every auction day (Fridays and every other Thursday).
“Every (week) people are getting hurt over there,” Officer Jason Riggle said. “But, usually it’s not four at a time.”
And usually the accidents are less severe, like someone’s foot getting run over, police said.
February 19th, 2009
I think reports like this one are a mixed blessing and curse. While I certainly feel for the 100 employees that will be job hunting at a very tough time to find jobs I think that this is more about becoming more efficient. Was it really cost effective for Manheim to have that little auction over there when right across the river they have Manheim St. Louis? I believe the largest positive effect of the bad economy is that our nation’s businesses are trimming inefficiencies and becoming more effective and competitive.
August 13th, 2008
I first reported on this technology in Feb and now that AuctionTrac has expanded into other Manheim auctions we are looking at the different possibilities to have an interface with EZDispatch so that finding lost cars can be as simple as the touch of a button. We are excited about the time savings that this technology will give to transporters and hope that drivers and dispatchers will make sure that the dealers realize that prompt deliveries of their vehicles will be more consistent at the auctions that use car-locater systems. If auctions see the added customer satisfaction benefit of these systems we will see more systems put in place. As we are currently assessing our alternatives we are encouraging input from all auto transporters. We would like to invite you to do some test searches from both auctions and email your opinions and ideas to dave@EZDispatch.com . To search at Dallas Auto Auction Click here and to search at Florida Auto Auction Orlando click here.
There is a link to an instructional video if you need help using the search functions.
Would you guys like to see the locations flagged for all of the cars on your load or would a button to just find the problem cars be more useful?
August 13th, 2008
Lancasteronline is reporting that Manheim has recieved a threat:
By CINDY STAUFFER, Staff
“The FBI and local police are investigating a threatening letter sent to the Manheim Auto Auction.
Bomb-sniffing dogs and additional security will be on hand Friday at the auction’s weekly sale, to ensure the safety of the almost 3,000 employees, a worker said.
Penn Township Police Chief Larry Snavely said the letter contained an “open statement” about threats and mentioned a specific date.”
UPDATE: Ok so the Manheim PA auction goes off without a hitch after a lot of time effort and money is spent on extra security. Now the question is can they catch this terrorist?
June 19th, 2008
WFTV has a slideshow of helicopter shots. I pray that the injured man is able to recover fully. It sounds much Like the tragic accident at Adesa awhile back.
The WFTV article says Three people were run down by a car during an auto auction in Orange County. It happened at the Manheim Auto Auction off West Colonial Drive on Tuesday.
Eyewitnesses said a worker driving a Porsche Cayenne lost control and went into the crowd. Four people went to the hospital. That includes the driver. One person was left in serious condition.
May 27th, 2008
I haven’t got to see it yet because I am just hitting Calif. and the test site was in Dallas.
From the press release and my short conversation with the folks at MyDealerLot™ the big difference is that instead of giving you the location of the car when it was last scanned you get the current location! I’ll add more info here as I get it. Read my feb 21st review of the manheim system
5-30-08 I just had an online meeting with George Cresto of MyDealerLot™ and I am really excited about the possibilities that his system has and the positive implications on the auto transport industry. What really caught my attention was that they have successfully tested at an Adesa auto auction and that this has the potential to roll out to all of the Adesa auctions. They also do dealerships but I think we will see much more benefit at the auctions. Since this is a web-based application and they have different login levels available they can have a login level for a dealer or his transporter to locate his cars on the lot by VIN number. The number of trucks that are computer equipped is rising rapidly and this system has the capability to allow the driver and/or his dispatcher to get real-time location of the vehicle they are trying to deliver even if it is moving! When a car is stationary it’s location is confirmed every 10 minutes but if it is moving it is updated every second. I think we have all left an auction more than once with an empty spot on our load because a car could not be located. Not only does that kill your profit on your load but that also hurts the dealer because he doesn’t get his vehicle in a timely manner. I hope that Adesa extends access to at least the transporters that are represented at the auctions.
Just think how much time and frustration could be saved if the driver could see at the touch of a button the location of his cars before he even pulls out his ramps. He will know instantly if his cars have been pulled or not.
March 5th, 2008
The guard called her SUPER MANHEIM WOMAN so he seems to think she’s a super hero. I didn’t get the point of why she was there in front of Hobby Auto Auction so maybe someone out there can leave a comment that will educate us all.
February 21st, 2008
We have all spent hours looking for that lost car that we needed to complete our load and thought with all of the technology available today certainly someone can come up with a way to solve this. I heard a rumor when I was at the Southern California Auto Auction that there was a system at the Houston Hobby auction that tracked the cars with a chip in the car so you could always find the car. I made it a point to investigate on this trip to Houston. From my quick look at the system it looks like it relies on the last location that the car was scanned with one of their hand scanners but they are scanning pretty often including each car as it comes through the lanes and when it exits the gate. I stood there and watched three people come in and get the most current location of their misplaced cars and for most of them the scan was from the day before. You can search by last part of the vin or by the run #. It shows a grid of the auction and gives you an arrow where the last scan was. I think this is a huge step in the right direction for auto transporters to cut down on costly delays at the auto auctions. Hopefully this will lead to putting chips in the cars so we can get real-time current locations.
This locator system is web-based so if one of you influential auto transporters out there can get Manheim Brass to give us the logins then drivers with laptops can locate their cars anytime they need to and when a driver calls a dispatcher on the weekend the dispatcher could go to his or her computer 3 states away and give the driver the car location.