In this episode, Braxton reports that AAA projects a record number of travelers this Independence Day, leading to a potential influx of customers in repair shops in mid-July. Lucas Underwood provides an update on the ASTA Expo’s growth and relocation plans for 2025, highlighting the event's rapid expansion. Additionally, Braxton discusses the significant rise in auto insurance rates and the crucial role of trust in maintaining customer satisfaction, based on findings from the JD Power 2024 US Auto Insurance Study.

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Braxton Critcher [00:00:05]:
I'm Braxton Critcher, and this is automotive repair news. Today, AAA projects nearly 80 million travelers are set to hit the road this Independence Day. That's a 5% increase from 2023 and 8% from 2019. Pre pandemic this year, a record 60.6 million will travel by car, 2.8 million more than last year and surpassing the 55.3 million in 2019. Gas prices, currently lower than last year's 353 average, are expected to decrease leading up to the independence holiday, then stabilize until after the Labor Day holiday. After this influx of travelers, expect an influx of customers at your repair shop. So if it's been a slow couple of weeks, just wait till mid July. The Asta Expo is coming up.

Braxton Critcher [00:01:00]:
You may have noticed the name change from AST to AstA, but that's not the only change this year. Here's Lucas Underwood with more.

Lucas Underwood [00:01:10]:
We filled up the space that we were in and then we moved, and we didn't expect it to grow as fast as it did. We filled up that space, too. So next year, 2025, ASTA is moving to a convention center that will afford us tremendous, tremendous growth opportunities, the likes of which the show never thought it would reach.

Braxton Critcher [00:01:30]:
Catch the full conversation about this year's ASTA Expo and what this event means to Lucas Underwood on the automotive repair news Today YouTube channel. Consumers now have more vehicle and fuel options for personal mobility, right? Electric vehicle sales are growing, accounting for 9.5% of new light duty vehicle sales in 2023, up from 4.3% in 2021, per the alliance for Automotive Innovation. Automakers also continue to improve gasoline, hybrid, electric and diesel vehicles, which still make up for about 90% of the market. They are leading the shift to zero emissions technologies, primarily through electrification, in response to government regulations pushing for more fuel efficient and zero emission vehicles. Over the next eight years, various technical and market factors will influence the adoption of electric vehicles and the continued use of internal combustion engines, or iCe. What will the future of personal mobility look like as the US works to decarbonize? How will cars and trucks evolve? Auto industry expert Alan Baum of Baum and associates will explore these questions in a webinar hosted by the Engine Technology Forum on June 27. For more if you'd like to attend, touch the link in the show notes the Universal Technical Institute is launching its annual summer ignite program in partnership with NAPA to introduce high schoolers to automotive repair careers. Established in 2019, the free three week course for high school juniors covers automotive or motor cycle repair.

Braxton Critcher [00:03:16]:
Completing the course earns credit towards future Institute programs, reducing attendance costs. Nearly 50% of last year's participants enrolled at UTI. Since 2021, NAPA has provided students with free uniform shirts at no cost, and the program is available nationwide at campuses in Texas, Arizona, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Florida, and North Carolina. Us auto insurance rates have risen over 11% on average in the past year. You've probably noticed that on your auto insurance bills, but insurers still lose $0.05 for every dollar of premium collected. Due to that fact. Expect premiums to rise again soon. The JD Power 2024 us auto insurance study found that rate increases don't necessarily lower customer satisfaction, though.

Braxton Critcher [00:04:13]:
If there's a high level of trust in the insurer. However, 51% of consumers report low trust in their auto insurer. Key findings in the study one, trust significantly impacts satisfaction and loyalty. Consumers with the highest trust levels have an average satisfaction score of 917 on a 1000 point scale and a 90% likelihood of renewing, compared to a 491 score and 30% for those with lower trust. Number two, most insurers fall short on trust. Only 15% of customers have a high trust in their insurer, 34% have a mid level trust, and 51% have low trust. Number three, trust varies by region. Florida has the lowest trust scores, with 55% of customers reporting low trust, correlating with the highest rate of insurer related increases.

Braxton Critcher [00:05:15]:
Number four, managing expectations around rate increases is crucial for insurance companies. Customers who understand and expect rate increases have a trust score of 735, nearly the same as those who experience rate decreases at 736. Interesting the study covers customer satisfaction with auto insurance in eleven regions. It is based on responses from more than 41,000 customers collected from August of 2023 to April of 2024 and evaluates insurers on seven dimensions, trust, price, service, ease of business coverage offerings, problem resolution, and digital channels. Driving force action DFA, a CEMA project is intensifying efforts against President Biden's EV mandates by targeting key battleground states for the upcoming elections. According to CEMA, DFA aims to engage voters and support candidates who favor consumer choice over federal EV mandates. A recent DFA success was Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkins decision to reject Californias mandate requiring all new cars in Virginia to be fully electric by 2035 following DFAS campaign. Established as a political action committee in 2023, DFA is expanding its campaign nationwide for the 2024 general election.

Braxton Critcher [00:06:46]:
If youd like more news stories covering the automotive repair industry like this, check out our social channels, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, and more. Daily videos and long form interviews are also available on the YouTube channel. Subscribe there for notifications on new content. And if you know of news that needs to be shared on this podcast or our social channels, please let me know via email@braxtonautomotiverepairnews.com. that's Braxton automotiverepairnews.com. thanks for listening.

Lucas Underwood [00:07:24]:
You our.