The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development continues to consider waivers allowing Pennsylvania businesses to keep their physical locations open following Gov. Tom Wolf’s order closing all “non-life-sustaining businesses.” As of now, an industry-wide waiver for vehicle sales has not been granted. The Pennsylvania RV and Camping Association suggests individual dealerships make their own submission, which can be done here.
It is important for dealerships’ submissions to detail how their sales operations assist those providing life-sustaining services, and to explain how they will comply with the Pennsylvania Department of Health, CDC and OSHA guidelines on social distancing and sanitation. Dealerships whose first request has already been rejected may submit a new request.
Dealerships without waivers are still permitted to perform all sales activity on the phone, email and internet, except for the final sale consummation, which involves signing of paperwork in person, which the statewide order still prohibits.
Below is an outline of the questions asked on the waiver application and guidance on responses. Providing these responses does not guarantee approval of a waiver, but PRVCA believes it puts the request in the best light possible. Dealerships must abide by the representations made in approved waiver requests.
How does your business meet the life-sustaining definition?
Our products range from motorhomes to travel trailers (modify this description to fit specific dealership products), which can be used by life-sustaining businesses in need of space to house employees, as mobile staging units, as medical units, ICU’s, isolation or quarantine facilities. These units provide a safe, controlled environment. Employers who need these units include medical facilities, as well as those in the food and healthcare supply chain, and utility or construction workers. We believe we can be of vital assistance in the solution to the current health crisis. (If a dealership has had specific instances of individuals or businesses in any life-sustaining sector contact it about sales, give details about those instances here).
Does the business have a plan to meet CDC recommended guidelines to maintain employee safety during the Covid-19 pandemic?
The health and safety of our customers and employees is of the utmost concern to us. The requirement for social distance best practices and sanitation are clear to us. We have studied the Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance on this and are also familiar with the guidance provided by Center for Disease Control and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. In that regard, all initial sales inquiries would be handled remotely requiring no person-to-person contact. The consummation of the sale and delivery of the recreational vehicles would be by appointment only, with no more than one appointment scheduled in the sales facility at a time and with a dealership staff as minimal as possible. Before and after each appointment, the areas of the dealership sales facility accessed will be sanitized.
How many employees would be in the company’s office or physical location in order to do the critical work?
Respond with the minimum number of people necessary to complete the transaction. PRVCA recommends this number be no more than two to three.
