Delivery Problems Caused by the Railroads
Because of the harsh winter, your next car may take a bit longer to arrive from the factory.
To move cars from the assembly line to the dealerships, automakers usually use a railroad company for the majority of the trip, before covering the last miles between the rail yard and the happy customers by truck.
While it’s not the first time that spring shipping has been delayed, a harsh and long winter has caused major slowdowns in all deliveries. Usually, 69,000 vehicles are stockpiled in parking lots, awaiting transport. Right now, more than 180,000 cars are sitting around.
Nearly all the manufacturers with plants in the United States (and Mexico) are affected.
For example, Toyota can’t bring enough RAV4s and Highlanders to satisfy demand, while more than a thousand Lexus RXs are sitting in front of their factory, awaiting their place on a wagon. GM, Honda, Ford and Chrysler/Fiat are also affected by this situation.
To solve the problem, the railroad companies are currently hiring more personnel and offering their employees additional work shifts. They are also refurbishing trains and wagons that were set aside during the recession, in hopes of turning the tide.