Photo: Toyota
Though Toyota says it will now keep its North American manufacturing plants closed through May 1, it will maintain service operations to help the medical professionals, first responders, and other front line employees who rely on it.
“We have an obligation to make sure their vehicles continue to be safe and reliable,” said Tony Kelly, vice president of customer services for Toyota Canada. “The service facilities at our Toyota and Lexus dealerships play an integral role in making that happen, and we’re committed to providing the parts, service and repairs our customers need to keep their vehicles on the road.”
Toyota service operations remaining open is important for more than just the doctors, nurses, paramedics, firefighters, food delivery people, and other workers who must continue go out and use a vehicle, potentially every day.
“Many other Canadians also need reliable transportation to access food and medical services, particularly those living in rural and remote parts of Canada where access to a safe, reliable vehicle is vital,” the automaker said in a statement.
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Even in large urban centers, people may be reluctant to use public transportation as a result of the COVID-19 virus.
In response to this, many of Toyota’s Canadian dealers have kept service operations open to ensure people have access to collision repairs, routine-but-necessary maintenance, and important recall work their vehicles may need.
According to Kelly, each dealership makes its own decisions about whether to keep its doors open, change its hours of operations, or change the service it provides — all the while following the guidance of the national, provincial, and local public health authorities.
Some have even begun to offer contactless door-to-door pickup and delivery services as well as implemented extensive sanitation procedures.
“We believe car dealerships are critical in crises like these,” Kelly said. “Canadians need safe, functioning vehicles — and we have a responsibility to provide them with the parts, repairs and service they need.”
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Kurt Verlin was born in France and lives in the United States. Throughout his life he was always told French was the language of romance, but it was English he fell in love with. He likes cats, music, cars, 30 Rock, Formula 1, and pretending to be a race car driver in simulators; but most of all, he just likes to write about it all. See more articles by Kurt.
