Officials said yesterday that 30,000 accepted the latest round of offers, after 8,000 took earlier incentives made at individual plants.

The total departures top Ford's goal of trimming 30,000 blue-collar jobs in North America by 2008. It's paying as much as $140,000 to get United Auto Workers members to quit or retire.

Ford's buyouts followed similar offers at GM and auto-parts maker Delphi. At GM, about 34,000 union workers accepted, or one in three of those eligible. At Delphi, a former GM unit, 20,100 of 33,000 UAW workers took buyout offers.

UAW spokesman Roger Kerson said he couldn't immediately comment on Ford's buyout results.

The 38,000 Ford workers who have accepted offers this year represent 46% of its 83,000 UAW-represented employees at the start of the year.

Martin Mulloy, Ford's labor-relations vice president, said on a conference call that the automaker probably will have to hire temporary workers because of the reduction. He declined to give a figure.

At the same time, execs wouldn't rule out the possibility of layoffs at some plants if there were more workers than needed and Ford couldn't get enough people to transfer.

"We have to look at it at each location," said Joe Hinrichs, vice president of North American manufacturing.

Ford said the departures will start in January and be finished by Sept. 1.

Ford estimated it will use up $17 billion in cash over the next three years, including $7 billion for the restructuring that includes the job cuts.

Ford and GM are scaling back in North America as they lose market share to Asian automakers led by Toyota.

"This is just a bitter pill they're going to have to take," said Mirko Mikelic, part of a team that manages $21 billion in fixed-income assets including Ford bonds at Fifth Third Asset Management in Grand Rapids, Mich. "The market knew this was coming down the pike. It's not a complete surprise that they're going to have to write a big check."

Ford said half of its cash drain will occur next year as it spends money to close plants and trim jobs. The Ford Motor Credit financial unit also will suspend dividend payments to Ford next year.

Yesterday's announcements come two days after Ford said it plans to borrow $18 billion and will back its loans with collateral for the first time.

The company's North American auto unit has lost money in eight of the past nine quarters, and the automaker's share of U.S. car and light-truck sales is headed for its 11th straight annual decline. Ford now says the North American unit will become profitable in 2009, one year later than a target set in January.

Ford shares rose 2 cents yesterday to $8.17. They have gained 5.8% this year.