CARY, N.C. -

Twelve additional Manheim auctions will begin piloting the return of in-lane bidding this week, following the company’s initial pilot run at five locations.

Dealers at the pilot locations are able to bid in-lane through Digital Block sales, which include in-lane bidding on site at Manheim auctions with a live auctioneer and simulcast.

Vehicles remain stationary and can be viewed on screens. They do not move through lanes.

The dozen auctions scheduled to resume in-lane this week are:

Manheim Utah
Manheim San Antonio
Manheim Denver
Manheim Nevada
Manheim Cincinnati
Manheim Cleveland
Manheim New Orleans
Manheim Lafayette
Manheim Albany
Manheim Poplar Bluff
Manheim Little Rock
Rome Auto Auction in Georgia. (This is a digital sale that Manheim staff operate using Manheim technology)

This second batch of in-lane pilots was slated to start Monday. Manheim may add more locations for in-lane bidding by the middle of this month.

The first group of auctions to pilot the return of in-lane bidding in late June were Manheim Dallas, Manheim Kansas City,  Manheim Dallas-Fort Worth, Manheim Darlington and Manheim Tulsa.

“As we continue to move forward with our re-opening plans, we saw great success with our return to in-lane bidding at our five initial pilot sites,” Manheim division vice president Alan Lang said in an emailed statement.

After two weeks of safety reviews, we are now ready to expand to 12 additional locations. For all pilot sites, we established strict safety protocols, including requiring facial coverings, social distancing and a daily review of pandemic data in each market,” Lang said.

“We are being intentional with our decision to expand the program, as health and safety remain at the center of everything we do,” he said. “Should the data continue to support a safe environment for team members and clients, we anticipate moving forward with a larger group of locations by mid-July.” 

In an update letter shared June 9, Manheim president Grace Huang said of then-upcoming pilot: “This change will require strict protocols, including redesigned auction blocks with Plexiglas guards, new distancing requirements and enhanced safety measures. Should social distancing violations occur, or we experience a rise in COVID-19 hot spots, this pilot program will be suspended.”

Manheim had gone simulcast-only starting in March. It began allowing inventory previews on May 1.

On June 8, sellers were allowed to return to rep vehicles. The week of June 22, the pilot return of in-lane bidders began at five locations:

With Monday’s move, 17 of Manheim’s auctions will now offer in-lane bidding through Digital Block. All of Manheim’s locations allow for inventory previews.

Manheim currently offers Lot Vision tracking technology at 14 auction locations, with Manheim Texas Hobby and Manheim Houston expected to be added this week and Manheim Nashville to be added at month’s end.

In an episode of the Auto Remarketing Podcast recorded in May and published in early June, Kenny Jones — who is senior director of health and safety at Manheim parent company Cox Automotive — discussed enterprise-wide health/safety efforts  as well as insights on what would be considered in re-opening physical sales at Manheim auctions.

That episode can be found below.