Shopping for a car can be an intimidating experience if you don’t know what to look for or where to go.

For Art Director David Brown, buying a used car through the Publix vehicle purchase program was a smart decision.

“It performs like a new car but without the large investment,” he said. “It’s a used vehicle that I trusted was well maintained, and the price couldn’t be beat.”

David found out about the program through a co-worker who had previously purchased a car. But in case you don’t know about this benefit offered only to associates, you’ll want to check online for details about how you can qualify for your own set of wheels.

The vehicle purchase program has been around for about 15 years, but Manager of Strategic Procurement Tanya Copeland said increased exposure online last year led to a significant boost in interest from associates.

“Before adding the program information to www.publix.org, we sold 10 – 12 vehicles a year. Now, we’re averaging 14 each month,” Tanya said. “Associates are appreciative for the value they can receive, and they are patient with our process.”

Because Publix is not a dealership, you can’t simply pay with cash and walk away with a vehicle. You must provide a cashier’s check, and all paperwork must have original signatures and be submitted for approval. But Tanya and her team work hard to make the transaction easy for associates.

In addition to giving associates a valuable benefit for working here, the vehicle purchase program has also saved the company fees that were previously spent to transport and sell the cars at auction.

For a full list of company vehicles available for purchase,visit www.publix.org > Apparel and Merchandise > Publix Vehicle Purchase Program. Vehicles are housed at various Publix locations, so be sure to note the inspection location and contact information.