LSVDA Newsletter February 2026
Executive Director’s Message
Momentum is Building
Fellow LSVDA Members – After a strong PGA Show and an active start tothe year, our market isn’t slowing down. Dealers are thinking more strategically. Suppliers are leaning in. Communities are paying closer attention. LSVDA is in the conversations that matter.
We had productive meetings with NHTSA and with Florida Representative Fiona McFarland regarding updates to Sec. 319.1401. Improving safety while reducing obstacles to growth. We are at the table early. Helping shape workable outcomes.
The market is stabilizing, and professionalism is becoming a true competitive edge. Process, team training, compliance awareness, and customer education now separate strong operators from the rest. The PGA Show confirmed the industry is more sophisticated and more competitive than ever. This is exactly why LSVDA exists.
- Staying ahead of policy and safety
- Strengthening dealership performance and profitability
- Expanding markets responsibly
We are also growing. Welcome to our newest dealer members as your engagement strengthens the voice of professional dealers nationwide. And thank you to our expanding group of supplier sponsors listed on the back page of this newsletter. Your support powers policy & safety, education, and tools that benefit the entire ecosystem.
President’s Day reminds us that representation matters. Dealers deserve a seat at the table. If you’re not yet a Silver, Gold or Platinum Member, this month’s special pricing is an easy step forward. Read on for more information.
We’re not just building an association. Together we are raising the standard for our industry.
Driving Forward., Mike
Public Policy & Safety
Overview
Federal activity remained quiet, while Florida and South Carolina continue refining roadway access and compliance standards that directly impact dealers. LSVDA leadership met with NHTSA to align on focus areas and with Florida Rep. Fiona McFarland to support improvements to Sec. 319.1401 (HB 543), advancing safer, dealer-advantage language.
Local ordinance activity shows a clear trend toward structured regulation, clarifying routes, registration, and equipment standards, shaping both compliance and growth. No new recalls were issued this month.
LSVDA helps you stay ahead of policy and safety actions that can impact our member’s business. Silver+ Members and Sponsors: watch for our exclusive white papers and legislative briefings.
Regulation & Policy Watch
Legislative activity affecting golf carts and low-speed vehicles (LSVs/NEVs) remained limited. There were no new federal bills or regulations introduced. At the state level, Florida and South Carolina continue to refine roadway access and safety frameworks impacting registration, equipment standards, and dealer compliance.
LSVDA leadership met with several representatives of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration “NHTSA” this month and had a great meeting. Our purpose was to better understand the Agency’s focus areas and where and when LSVDA can assist.
We also met with Florida Representative Fiona McFarland regarding proposed changes to Sec. 319.1401 in HB 543 and SB 1274. This meeting supported language changes in HB 543 which will improve safety and is more advantageous for licensed LSV dealers. More details will be published exclusively for Silver+ Dealer Members and Sponsors.
Local Ordinances
January saw steady local ordinance activity shaping golf cart and LSV use in 2026. For example: In Pinellas Park, FL, officials approved a new ordinance defining permitted streets and restricting major-road crossings, a meaningful move in a high-density Florida market with significant cart adoption potential. In Clay Center, KS, the city formalized on-street use with registration and visibility requirements, expanding legal access. Meanwhile, Plymouth, IN advanced annual registration rules, signaling tighter compliance in Midwest communities.
The overall trend is not broad restriction, but structured regulation, clarifying routes, equipment and registration These activities directly influences market growth, dealer opportunity, and user compliance expectations.
For LSVDA members, local ordinances in their area are often the earliest signal of broader policy momentum. Tracking them early helps dealers stay compliant, educate customers, and shape outcomes before rules harden.
What You Should Do Now
- Dealers: Prepare a local compliance checklist and “street-ready” upgrade packages.
- Sponsors: Support dealers with safety, lighting, inspection, and permit-workflow solutions.
- LSVDA Silver + Dealer Members: Watch for an upcoming white paper on this topic.
Safety Snapshot
Recent reporting reflects notable golf cart incidents across residential communities, private clubs, and public intersections. Some involved rollovers during turning maneuvers, some with property damage only, and one fatal event occurred at an intersection with mixed traffic. No product-defect pattern emerged; most outcomes were tied to operating environment, speed for conditions, and roadway interaction.
As usage expands Dealers can reinforce practical best practices to their customers, encouraging them to drive within the vehicle’s limits, use caution at intersections, and consider available safety enhancements. LSVDA Safety information can be found at this LINK and is free to download for everyone.
Just as important, follow OEM charging guidance. Avoid long, light-gauge (e.g., 16-gauge) extension cords when charging, and rely on manufacturer recommendations, not online forum shortcuts, to reduce fire and equipment risk while protecting customers and the industry’s reputation.
LSVDA will continue monitoring safety situations and trends. We started Safety Saturday Social Posts for all members, sponsors, and local stakeholders. You can follow them on our LinkedIn and Facebook pages.
Recall & Liability Watch
There have been no new safety recalls, recall alerts, or service campaigns issued for golf cars, PTVs, LSVs, or commercial cargo/transport vehicles sold by dealers. We search official recall databases and OEM recall information pages so Dealers can cross check with their sources.
Dealer Growth and Profitability
Best Practices: Unlock Your Dealership’s Full Potential
By George Keen, Founding Education Member
As the low-speed vehicle market continues to evolve, dealer professionalism is the key to sustainable growth and long-term profitability. Are your operations ready to meet the demands of an expanding industry and increasing customer expectations?
For dealers committed to excellence, Wise Wolf Consulting is forming Dealer Best Practices Groups. These groups provide a unique, OEM-neutral forum to improve profitability and operational consistency. Focusing on the three core engines of dealer success: Sales, Service, and Rental/Fleet Management, members share proven strategies and benchmark performance in a collaborative environment. With most participants seeing at least a 10x return on their monthly dues, it’s a powerful investment in your success. Join a community of high-performing dealers and gain access to practical tools, KPI templates, and real-world examples that you can implement immediately.
Ready to sharpen your skills at your own pace? Explore a collection of practical, easy-to-read books on dealership management covering critical topics like sales discipline, service absorption, and rental fleet strategy. Visit https://wisewolf-consulting.com/books to learn more. Be sure to choose the “Wise Wolf Special” purchase option for the best price.
To inquire about joining a Dealer Best Practices Group, please email BestPractice@WiseWolfConsulting.com. Take the next step in transforming your dealership’s performance today.
You can contact George at 508-579-4131.
The Used Car Market Today
By: Tony Altieri, Vice President of Business Development, National Powersport Auctions (Founding Platinum Sponsor).
The latest National Powersport Auctions (NPA) update on the fleet and late-model golf car market is that it’s returning to normal.
Remember the pandemic pricing spikes and tight inventory? They are now settling down around, and in some cases slightly below, 2019 levels. While this may sound concerning at first, it signals a healthier, more predictable market cycle.
One of the biggest shifts is happening on the supply side. Fleet units that remained in service longer during COVID are finally returning to the marketplace, increasing both wholesale volume and overall availability.
As a result, used inventory is now exceeding dealer demand at current residual levels. This shift is correcting the imbalance dealers have faced since 2020, when sourcing inventory was difficult and acquisition costs were inconsistent. Rather than a setback, the current environment is creating opportunity.
Tony Altieri, NPA Vice President of Business Development, noted, “Residual values are finally at a level where dealers are starting to see opportunity in pre-owned.” With prices stabilizing, dealers can once again acquire, recondition, and retail pre-owned units with healthy margins, something that has been a challenge for several years.
Key Takeaways:
- Demand has returned to pre-COVID patterns.
- More late-model inventory is entering the market.
- Pre-owned units are becoming a stronger profit center.
Overall, the golf car market is stabilizing. Dealers who adjust their buying and pricing strategies now will be best positioned to benefit from the renewed pre-owned market. For deeper insights, watch Trends, Values, and Dealer Strategies for 2026.
Aftermarket Protection as a Service Strategy, Not a F & I Add-on
By: George Montemayor, Partner, American Cart Care (Founding Supplier Sponsor).
In today’s golf cart and LSV market, the service counter is as important as the sales desk. Vehicles are more advanced, customers are more informed, and early ownership expectations are higher than ever.
Aftermarket protection products, when structured properly, are no longer optional add-ons. They are part of a disciplined ownership strategy.
Extended service contracts can address early labor exposure where factory warranties may cover parts but not technician time. That matters. It protects customers from surprise expenses and ensures the dealership is compensated fairly for skilled labor. The result is fewer uncomfortable conversations and stronger trust.
Beyond extended coverage, programs such as tire and wheel protection, theft benefits, battery replacement, and key coverage help create predictable ownership costs. More importantly, they encourage customers to return to the selling dealer for maintenance and repairs, strengthening retention and long-term service revenue.
This is not simply about incremental gross profit. It is about shop utilization, absorption stability, and lifecycle customer value. When protection products are presented as part of an ownership plan, not a sales tactic, they shift the conversation from price alone to total ownership experience.
Dealer Takeaways
- Protection strengthens service absorption and technician productivity
- Predictable ownership costs reduce friction and increase retention
- A disciplined ownership strategy stabilizes revenue beyond the initial sale
Dealers who integrate protection into a professional ownership strategy strengthen both customer loyalty and operational performance.
If you are evaluating how protection products fit into your sales and service model, connect with George and learn from dealers who are building more resilient, service-driven operations. www.americancartcare.com 717-802-2327
Poling: We are interested in your perspectives!
What’s the #1 factor shaping your LSV/golf car business outlook for the next 6 months?
Please take this 30 second ANONYMOUS LSVDA Micro Poll.
Click HERE or scan the QR code.
And, let me know what other polling questions you would like to see and the frequency.
Market Growth
Market Growth Committee
At the January board meeting, the LSVDA directors voted unanimously to create a new standing committee: Market Growth.
The Market Growth Committee supports the Low Speed Vehicle Dealer Association’s
(LSVDA) mission by helping dealers responsibly expand local and regional markets for low-speed vehicles. The Committee focuses on identifying practical growth opportunities, understanding market conditions, and translating insights into tools and guidance that improve dealer success while supporting safe, sustainable market development.
We are pleased to announce that Abbie Randal, Managing Partner at Colorado Golf and Turf, Inc. (a Platinum Dealer Member), accepted the nomination to chair the committee and was unanimously approved by the board.
Abbie will be seeking a blend of silver + level dealers and sponsors to fill out the committee. We anticipate our volunteer committee members will invest 8 hours of their time each quarter.
If you are interested in service on this (or any other) committee, send an email to our Executive Director Mike Alexander at michael@lsvda.com .
TRACTION: Turning January Execution into 2026 Momentum
Prepared by Founding Education Member Sea Anchor Group.
January was about execution. After a year-end focus on reflection and alignment, the TRACTION Series moved decisively into action, helping dealers turn intent into measurable local market progress.
The month began with discipline around safety. Dealers who standardized their safety story created clarity and consistency in every conversation. Repeating a calm, factual narrative around vehicle classification, operating environments, and responsible use built trust with HOAs, municipalities, law enforcement, and insurance partners.
From there, attention shifted inward. Dealers equipped their teams to speak confidently about community mobility, not just product features. When sales, service, and management understood ordinance basics and safety fundamentals, dealerships became trusted local resources rather than transactional vendors.
January also reinforced the importance of tracking early wins. Not every milestone is public or dramatic, but meetings held, follow-ups completed, and partners engaged all signal momentum forming. Dealers who documented progress stayed energized and focused.
Finally, January reminded us that growth favors leadership. Communities rarely initiate conversations about golf cars or LSVs, but they respond when knowledgeable dealers reach out with a safety-first, education-driven approach.
January proved a simple truth: markets don’t grow by accident. They grow because dealers show up, speak clearly, and lead consistently. February is where that momentum compounds.
TRACTION provides the framework. Execution delivers the results.
LSVDA Note: Follow our LinkedIn and Facebook Pages for weekly Pro Tips on how to grow your local markets. We anticipate producing a “how to” book at the end of the series. If a Founding Member would like to sponsor this co-branded book reach out to our executive director at michael@lsvda.com .
The 2026 PGA Show
If you follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook you’ve seen our updates on the PGA Show. Here is a summary of our experience. Special thanks you to RX Global and the PGA of America for producing a great show and for working closely with us as we continue to grow.
LSVDA’s attendance at the 2026 PGA Show was a clear positive. The show floor was active, well attended, and notably diverse, with strong domestic dealer participation and meaningful international representation from Asia, Europe, and Latin America. The energy around golf cars, LSVs, lithium power, services and connected technologies continues to expand beyond traditional golf course and gated community transportation into lifestyle consumer and commercial mobility.
Our presence reinforced LSVDA’s role as the national voice for professional LSV and golf car dealers. We met with current members, prospective dealers, sponsors, and OEM executives. Thursday’s LSVDA member and prospect meeting provided a focused forum to discuss policy trends, dealer profitability, lithium transition maturity, compliance discipline, and the importance of professional standards in a rapidly globalizing market.
Key Findings
- Strong Domestic & International Dealer Presence: U.S. dealers were engaged and growth minded. Domestic and international OEMs were highly visible with new features for 2026. Think getting out of your SUV into an LSV and having a similar, albeit slower driving experience. And there were nearly 30 vehicle manufacturers and about 60 supplier exhibits. And dozens of executives and business development folks walking the halls, assessing if to join the show next year.
- Lithium Transition Is Mature: The lead-acid to lithium shift is no longer mid-stage. Dealers are now focused on margin protection, training, warranty discipline, and supplier stability, not basic adoption.
- Dealer Professionalization Matters: Compliance, safety messaging, recall awareness, and brand discipline were recurring themes in booth conversations and Thursday’s discussion. Dealers want clarity and advocacy.
- LSVDA Value Resonated: Policy access (NHTSA engagement), state-level monitoring, best-practice sharing, and sponsor connectivity were seen as tangible membership drivers. And we were busy. With the help of our sponsors, we had between 2 – 6 people always working our booth. Highly engaged visitors and dealers signing up with LSVDA on the spot.
Overall Takeaway
The PGA Show validated that the market is healthy, increasingly international, and evolving quickly. LSVDA’s presence strengthened relationships, elevated awareness, and positioned the Association as a stabilizing, professional force in a growth-oriented but competitive environment.
Membership and Communications
How LSVDA is Working for You
We work every day to strengthen dealer success and elevate supplier-sponsor visibility by delivering measurable, high-value benefits across the entire ecosystem.
For dealers, LSVDA provides thousands of dollars in annual savings through training, compliance tools, recall and policy alerts, promotional opportunities, best-practice programs, and market-growth insights.
For supplier sponsors, LSVDA delivers targeted access to an active and growing dealer community through warm introductions, webinars, content co-branding, advertising discounts, and strategic visibility,
Please Welcome Our New Members
Dealer Members: Foursom Golf Cars, 303 Cart Barn, JB Golf Cars, M & M Golf Cars, LLC, Augusta Golf Cart, LLC, Mikey’s Motors, Kelley’s Custom Carts, CT Custom Carts, Total Golf Cart, Carts 4 You, Journey Golf Carts, Rob’s Cars, Golf Cart Guy NC, Ingenium Power & Sport, Custom Cartz, Etto Cars, C2 Vehicles, MSK Enterprises, LLC, Cart Parts Plus
Personal Support or Sponsor Members: Bob Densmore, Greg T Bentley, Tristan Eckman, Jonathan Lugassy, Angi DeFreitas, Rick Northcraft
Events & Education Opportunities
Block your calendars for Wednesday,
April 1 at 11:00 am
CST for a great webinar:
Run One Dealership, Not Five Systems: Connected Workflows for Golf Cart Dealers. Brought to you from LSVDA + Lightspeed.
If you are a Silver + Dealer Member, Zoom webinar invites will be coming your way early next Month, so if you haven’t joined, see the special promotion above.
What we will cover. Golf car and LSV dealers are under pressure to grow margins, move faster, and stay ahead of shifting expectations from customers, OEMs, and regulators.
In this LSVDA + Lightspeed co-branded session, we’ll connect the dots between industry realities and dealership-ready execution. LSVDA will open with the “why”, what they’re seeing across the dealer community, and how education and advocacy are helping dealers navigate change.
Then Lightspeed will bring the “how” to life with real dealership best practices built for golf dealerships—integrated sales, F&I, parts, and service processes that streamline operations and strengthen customer relationships
Be on the lookout for more upcoming webinars and Best Practice Programming.
Compelling Reasons Dealers Should Join Now. Here’s the LINK.
1. Real, Documented Financial Value — Dealer members receive Thousands in annual savings through trainings, discounts, tools, and marketing programs.
2. Policy, Safety & Recall Protection — LSVDA monitors federal, state, and local regulations plus all industry recalls, helping dealers stay compliant, avoid liability, and educate customers with confidence.
3. Market Growth Intelligence — Dealers gain access to timely market data, demand trends, and best-practice insights not available anywhere else in the industry.
4. Stronger Supplier Relationships — LSVDA creates direct pathways to vetted OEMs and suppliers through warm introductions, webinars, and co-branded opportunities that improve margins and expand product access.
5. Professional Development, Best Practices & Operational Excellence — Members receive training, tools, and frameworks to elevate sales, service, financial performance, and team effectiveness.
6. A Trusted Voice Representing Dealers — LSVDA advocates for dealer interests in safety standards, mobility policy, and public awareness—ensuring the industry grows responsibly and profitably.
President’s Day Special for Dealers: Silver Membership $199 (for a limited time)
President’s Day honors leadership and representation.
In our industry, that same principle applies. Dealers deserve a voice in the decisions that shape their businesses.
For a limited time, LSVDA is offering Silver Dealer Membership for $199 (normally $600).
Silver membership includes:
- Legislative & regulatory advocacy
- Model ordinances to support market expansion
- Educational resources and webinars
- Recognition as an LSVDA Dealer Member
If you believe dealers should help shape the future of this industry, not simply react to it, this is your moment to step in.
Join as a Silver Dealer Member by clicking this LINK.
Closing Thoughts – Looking Ahead
This month’s issue reinforces where we stand: steady policy engagement, disciplined safety focus, improving used-market conditions, and practical dealer profitability strategies that position professionals to lead.
LSVDA continues to grow in membership, sponsor support, and national visibility. That momentum strengthens our collective voice and ensures dealers have meaningful representation, resources, and industry alignment.
I encourage you to adopt proven best practices, consider serving on a committee, and take advantage of our President’s Day Silver promotion to deepen your engagement with LSVDA.
Thank you to every dealer, supplier, and partner serving as responsible stewards of this industry.
Warm regards, The LSVDA Leadership Team
