Technician Shortage: Why a $60,000 Vacancy Beats a Slow Bay
A technician vacancy costs an average shop ~$60,000/month. Why protecting your bay beats chasing the aging-fleet wave in 2026 — plus a pre-promise checklist.
Ray Donnelly
10 min readAging
Ray Donnelly
10 min read
Aftermarket sales surge on aging vehicle demand
The U.S. light-duty aftermarket will grow 5.2% in 2026. I analyze how aging fleets drive nonwarranty parts demand for B2B buyers.
Dmitry Volkov
14 min read
Aging vehicle fleets drive 5.4% aftermarket growth
With the fleet averaging 12.8 years, repair demand is outpacing new sales. I break down why stocking for older units is your safest bet.
Ray Donnelly
13 min read
Tire Brands in 2026: Why the Aging-Fleet Tailwind Is a Sourcing Test
Tire brands in 2026: the 13-year aging fleet is real demand, but labor, tariffs, and fill rate — not market share — decide what to stock.
Priya Raman
10 min read
Aftermarket 2026: Why a 5.4% Tailwind Is a Sourcing Trap
The 2026 aftermarket grows 5.4% on a 13-year fleet, but a $60k tech vacancy, Hankook's $1.6B ramp, and 3% EV-ready techs make it a sourcing test.
Priya Raman
11 min read