Vehicle Supply Chain Puts Roadblock In Front Of Oklahoma City Leaders

The supply chain and the rising cost of vehicles are impacting the Oklahoma City government's ability to replace old vehicles, according to Jeff Twiehaus, fleet services superintendent for Oklahoma City.

Tuesday, January 17th 2023, 10:49 pm



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Car prices are high. Kelly Blue Book shows the average car costs $48,000. Oklahoma City officials are having trouble finding new vehicles for its different departments. Oklahoma City leaders manage thousands of vehicles, but when they need to replace them. Often, they’re left with too many parking spots to fill. There are plenty of reasons why cars are expensive these days. 

“The demand is so much greater than the manufacturers can produce right now,” said Jeff Twiehaus, fleet services superintendent for Oklahoma City.  

Twiehaus manages Oklahoma City’s government vehicles for a variety of city departments. 

“Always busy,” he said. 

Twiehaus hits a roadblock when he needs to replace vehicles.  

“Usually, this whole row is all full of new cars,” Twiehaus said, pointing to a half-empty lot at the Oklahoma City Street Maintenance facility. 

Cost is one thing steering the problem. The supply chain drives everything.  

“We’re behind a couple years on getting our replacement vehicles,” Twiehaus said. 

The market research firm Edmonds said car manufacturers produced nearly 14 million cars last year compared to the 18 million before the pandemic.  

As a result, there are fewer cars and higher prices. This leaves people like Twiehaus hoping new car orders arrive.  

“We just don’t know that for a fact, until they actually do show up,” Twiehaus said. 

A fork in the road with no map to guide OKC leaders on where to turn. Twiehaus said it would likely take a couple of years for things to improve. 

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