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SPECIAL REPORT: TOYOTA DEALERS TRAVEL TO CAPITOL HILL IN LIGHT OF RECALL HEARINGS
Members of Congress returned to session on Capitol Hill Monday after a record-breaking amount of snow fell on the nation's capital, extending a scheduled stay in their districts. The House of Representatives came back to town in time for two high-profile hearings on the recent recalls issued by Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing Tuesday entitled "Response by Toyota and NHTSA to Incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration," with the House Oversight and Government Reform holding a similarly themed hearing one day later.
Top Toyota executives testified before both committees. President and Chief Operating Officer of Toyota Motor Sales, Jim Lentz spoke in front of the Energy and Commerce subcommittee. But the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee called on Mr. Toyoda himself to testify during its hearing on Wednesday. Mr. Yoshimi Inaba, President and COO of Toyota Motor North America, also served as a witness.
Working with Toyota and Tammy Darvish of DARCARS in Maryland, AIADA helped schedule dealer meetings and obtain media coverage for the nearly 200 Toyota dealers who came to Washington, D.C. to meet with their legislators on Capitol Hill. The Grassroots Team successfully executed nearly 70 individual meetings with U.S. Representatives from 24 states. Other dealers had already visited with their legislators on their home turf via the Dealer Visit Program one week earlier.
Meetings with legislators focused on educating Congress how dealers are handling the recall situation on the frontlines at their stores. Many dealerships have extended their service hours - one even offering maintenance 24 hours a day, seven days a week - to accommodate consumers to the best of their ability. Dealers have hired more technicians to meet demand, and have done everything in their power to ensure their customers that their cars are safe to drive.
A Town Hall meeting Wednesday night with Akio Toyoda and Yoshimi Inaba, held immediately after their testimonies on Capitol Hill, brought dealers, plant workers, and other Toyota representatives together in one room. Toyoda entered a room at the National Press Club to find it full of supporters, all standing and clapping for their Japanese leader. Humbled by their presence and support, Toyoda came to tears.
During the Toyota dealer fly-in, dealers from across the nation gathered to express their support for the car maker. The mood at a dealer briefing early in the week was one of commitment and dedication to Toyota. Dealers made it clear they will walk alongside Toyota as both its image and its recalled vehicles are repaired.
AIADA wants to thank all of the Toyota dealers who traveled to Washington, D.C. to partake in this important event. We also are thankful for the thousands of other dealers in America who are taking care of Toyota customers on the front lines. Your ongoing support of AIADA and Toyota and your commitment to international nameplate customers are greatly appreciated.
IMPORTANT NOTE: On Tuesday, March 2, a third Congressional hearing on the Toyota recalls will occur - this time in the Senate. The Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee has invited Yoshi Inaba and Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota Motor Corporation's Executive Vice President, to testify.
Yesterday, AIADA faxed all Toyota dealers with Senators who sit on the Commerce Committee a one-page survey asking them to report back about any recent meetings with U.S. Senators. If you have not already done so, please print this survey, fill it out, and fax back to AIADA by 5:00pm EST today. If you have questions, please call 1 (800) GO-AIADA.
Click here to print and fax back the AIADA Toyota Senate Hearing Survey.
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