franchised light-vehicle dealers
NADA reported this count of U.S. franchised light-vehicle dealerships in its 2026 mid-year industry data.
Source: NADA Data 2026 Mid-Year Report, 2026 ↗U.S. Dealership Service Statistics: 14 Figures for 2026
A practical, sourced reference for fixed operations leaders, automotive writers and anyone tracking the scale of dealership service activity in the United States.
Last updated October 9, 2026The short version
Service remains one of the largest recurring dealership relationships.
Franchised dealerships wrote more than 136 million repair orders and generated nearly $83 billion in service and parts sales in the first half of 2026. Workforce data and the federal travel outlook both point to a service relationship that remains commercially important long after the vehicle sale.
Reported dealership activity
The scale of the dealership service opportunity
These are reported U.S. franchised light-vehicle dealership figures from NADA's 2026 mid-year data.
light-duty vehicles sold
Those dealerships sold 7.9 million light-duty vehicles in the first half of 2026, creating a large base of owners who will need future maintenance and repair.
Source: NADA Data 2026 Mid-Year Report, 2026 ↗repair orders written
NADA reported more than 136 million repair orders across franchised dealerships in the first half of 2026.
Source: NADA Data 2026 Mid-Year Report, 2026 ↗service and parts sales
Service and parts sales reached nearly $83 billion at franchised dealerships in the first half of 2026.
Source: NADA Data 2026 Mid-Year Report, 2026 ↗Service workforce
The people who keep the service lane moving
These national workforce figures show the scale of the technician role, including the employment outlook for the years ahead.
automotive service technician and mechanic jobs
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimated this many automotive service technician and mechanic jobs in the United States in 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, September 2026 ↗of technicians employed by automobile dealers
Automobile dealers were the largest employer group for automotive service technicians and mechanics in 2025.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, September 2026 ↗projected technician employment growth
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects automotive service technician and mechanic employment growth from 2025 through 2035.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, September 2026 ↗projected annual job openings
This is the average number of annual openings projected for automotive service technicians and mechanics from 2025 through 2035.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, September 2026 ↗Road-use outlook
Vehicle travel is expected to keep rising
These figures are federal baseline projections, not reported dealership results. They show the travel outlook that shapes future maintenance, repair and service demand.
projected annual growth in total vehicle travel
The FHWA baseline outlook projects average annual growth from 2023 through 2053.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, 2025 Vehicle Miles Traveled Forecasts, September 2025 ↗projected annual growth in light-duty travel
The baseline outlook projects this average annual light-duty vehicle travel growth from 2023 through 2053.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, 2025 Vehicle Miles Traveled Forecasts, September 2025 ↗projected annual total travel growth through 2043
The FHWA baseline outlook is higher over its nearer 20-year planning period.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, 2025 Vehicle Miles Traveled Forecasts, September 2025 ↗projected annual single-unit truck travel growth
The FHWA baseline forecast covers 2023 through 2053.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, 2025 Vehicle Miles Traveled Forecasts, September 2025 ↗projected annual single-unit truck travel growth through 2043
The nearer 20-year baseline forecast is slightly higher than the longer-term outlook.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, 2025 Vehicle Miles Traveled Forecasts, September 2025 ↗projected annual combination truck travel growth
The FHWA baseline forecast covers 2023 through 2053.
Source: Federal Highway Administration, 2025 Vehicle Miles Traveled Forecasts, September 2025 ↗What these figures mean
More vehicle use makes the service relationship worth protecting.
Repair orders are not just transactions. They are recurring moments when a dealership can reinforce the value of returning for the next visit. That is why a retention program needs to work in the service lane, where the customer experience and the team workflow meet.
DriveIQ Rewards connects rewards, prepaid maintenance and targeted customer communication to help dealerships give customers a clearer reason to come back, without creating manual redemption work for advisors.
See how automatic redemption works ›Use the source that fits the claim.
NADA Data 2026 Mid-Year Report
Published data on U.S. franchised light-vehicle dealers, vehicle sales, repair orders, and service and parts sales for the first half of 2026.
Open NADA Data 2026 Mid-Year Report ↗U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employment, employer mix and projected job openings for automotive service technicians and mechanics.
Open the workforce outlook ↗Federal Highway Administration, 2025 Vehicle Miles Traveled Forecasts
Federal baseline projections for U.S. vehicle miles traveled by vehicle class through 2053.
Open the FHWA forecast ↗Suggested citation: DriveIQ Rewards, “U.S. Dealership Service Statistics: 14 Figures for 2026,” updated October 9, 2026. Cite the individual source linked with each figure when you need the underlying data.