It’s costly sending troops all over the world. Especially when a lot of them aren’t riding around in tanks or armored personnel carriers. In years past, the U.S. military has shipped about 75,000 cars to and from the U.S. every year for its troops’ personal use when they, and often their families, are deployed to non-war zones. Thursday, the U.S. Transportation Command awarded a $224 million contract (click on the announcement above to enlarge) to American Auto Logistics for shipping and storing troops’ POVs – personally owned vehicles – for the coming year.
The company runs a website called Whereismypov.com, which offers a peek into the complications associated with shipping private cars all around the world. Tellingly, the top half of the company’s frequently-asked questions list has to do with claims made if your POV has problems post-trip. It surely doesn’t hurt the company to have retired Air Force general John Handy – TRANSCOM chief for four years before he retired in 2005 – as the vice chairman of American Auto Logistics’ management committee.