AutoTrust Dealer Alliance is rapidly expanding its footprint across franchised dealerships as operators seek new ways to strengthen purchasing power, reduce costs, and maintain independence amid industry consolidation. Founder and CEO David Mondragon joins us on the latest episode of Driving Solutions to discuss the platforms designed to help dealers “level the playing field” by leveraging collective scale across multiple business functions, including finance and insurance, lending, and general purchasing. Since its appearance at NADA, AutoTrust has grown from 10 dealer rooftops to 125 committed rooftops on its platform. The company also reports that approximately 300 additional dealers are currently under consideration, with more than half of those moving into active participation. Mondragon said the pace of growth reflects strong demand among dealers for alternatives to traditional operating models. The platform is structured as a low-barrier membership model, with dealers able to join for a one-time $100 fee. Members receive a stake in the business while maintaining full ownership and control of their dealerships. AutoTrust emphasizes a partnership approach that avoids requiring operational changes at the store level. Upon joining, dealers retain autonomy in how they run their operations. The company focuses on identifying efficiency opportunities rather than mandating changes, allowing dealers to choose where they participate across its three core platforms. These include finance and insurance programs, lending optimization, and consolidated general purchasing. A key component of the lending strategy centers on consolidating non-OEM financing relationships into a smaller group of preferred partners. The goal is to improve terms, increase lender performance, and enhance dealer returns while preserving OEM relationships and incentives. The company continues to emphasize alignment with manufacturers and maintains that OEM programs remain a priority channel for dealer contracts. Beyond financial services, AutoTrust is building a general purchasing network to aggregate dealer demand across categories such