When credit union executives were recently asked what they considered to be their top auto lending initiatives this year, nearly 70% said increasing dealer network relationships.

That’s according to the CU Direct Survey of Lending Officers 2014. The Ontario, Calif.-based lending and automotive services CUSO collected data from 72 respondents on projected auto loan growth.

Coming in second place at 37.5% was geographic expansion followed by increasing rate competiveness at 34.7%, easing underwriting standards at 29.2%, and adding or expand an auto buying service at 23.6%.

On average, the executives said they are projecting 6.3% auto loan growth in 2013. About 25% were bullish on auto loans this year, projecting more than 10% auto loan growth. Another roughly 25% projected between 6% and 10% growth. Click on the graph above to expand and see all the responses.

To realize those goals the survey’s respondents said they plan to deploy a number of strategies to make them happen. Among them, expanding existing member loan relationships and recapture and increasing marketing efforts by email and direct mail. The executives also plan to increase marketing, target marketing to members and expand member incentives.

Forming closer relationships with select employee groups, keeping dealer relations a top priority as well as solidifying current dealership relations were other ways the executives said they plan to carry out their auto lending goals, according to the CU Direct survey.