U.S. new-car dealers add staff, stores in 2011

6/13/2012

LOS ANGELES -- New-car dealers are adding employees and stores and are expressing general optimism about their business, according to an annual report released this week by the National Automobile Dealers Association.

The number of employees at new-car dealerships rose 4.6 percent in 2011 to 933,500, according to Paul Taylor, the trade group's chief economist.

The number of dealerships grew by a net 66 during the period to about 17,600. That compares with more than 21,000 before the recession and the recent U.S. auto industry restructuring.