If you shipped your car to or from an overseas duty station after Aug. 1 (or are getting ready to) you may be in luck. According to a new DoD report based on a random sampling, most cars are now showing up on time.
The sample looked at 500 vehicles turned in to International Auto Logistics (IAL) after Aug. 1. Of those vehicles, over 95 percent turned-up at their destination on time. Compare that to a previous evaluation in mid-August of all cars shipped since May 1. That assessment found that less than 30 percent of cars had arrived on time.
You can read all about the new DoD study over here on Military.com.
The problems surrounding car shipments are the source of constant discussion in the International Auto Logistics: Reviews, Complaints and Inconveniences Facebook group. Started in late July by four friends stationed in Hawaii, the group enabled frustrated service members and their families whose cars were long past their delivery due dates to get the attention of Defense officials and media members, including me.
But the problem with groups like that can be that they operate as a rumor mill and push people to panic. For example, the group currently has over 4,000 members.
But not all of those are people who have shipped their cars. Some of them are people who are planning to ship their cars and are worried about potential problems. Members have posted that they decided to pay for shipping to or from their overseas duty station rather than entrust IAL with their vehicles and let the Defense Department foot the bill.
That seems a little over the top to me, especially now that things seem to be getting better. Then again, I'm not moving overseas or without my vehicle for months on end, so I can't pass judgement on what people do to protect themselves in that situation.
The group, however, has done a great job of sharing information about things like this class action lawsuit and crowd sourcing car hunts. Before hitting up a pick-up point to get their vehicles, members offer to take photos of the lot so people can scan them for their cars.
And sharing information and experiences - as long as they are accurate - is incredibly helpful when a black hole seems to be persist around any information about vehicles that have been lost in the system for months.
