Used-vehicle auctions have started resuming regular business hours following the effects of Hurricane Florence, which had less of an impact on the U.S vehicle market than Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in 2017.
General Motors Co. has mobilized all of its vehicle brands, as well as OnStar, GM Financial and its Customer Care and Aftersales team to help customers impacted by Hurricane Florence recover as quickly as possible
While the effect that Hurricane Irma had on Insurance Auto Auction's and Copart's operations in Florida was relatively mild, Houston was a different story.
As many as 400,000 vehicles in Florida will need to be replaced as a result of Hurricane Irma, including as many as 11,000 fleet vehicles, according to Cox Automotive.
The activity of the more than 33,000 commercial vehicles equipped with a Geotab telematics system increased 360% in the state from Aug. 23 to Sept. 6.
Fleet management companies put in place resources for commercial fleets with vehicles in South Florida that may have suffered damage from Hurricane Irma. They helped drivers locate fuel, identified replacement units, and managed an influx of calls from drivers.
While market watchers agree that Hurricane Harvey's impact stretches beyond Houston-area automotive business, estimates on exactly how many vehicles will need to be replaced vary between half a million and million vehicles, including as many as 18,500 fleet vehicles.
Heavy flooding from what is now Tropical Storm Harvey has disrupted commercial fleets in the Houston area, as corporations and fleet management companies have begun reaching out to their employees and fleet drivers to ensure their safety and assess damage to fleet vehicles.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed or damaged approximately 2,000 fleet vehicles in the Gulf Coast. Last October, Hurricane Sandy disrupted the refueling infrastructure and fleet communication with drivers in N.J and N.Y.