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Posted

Bill proposed in the state Assembly to change NYS Inspections to every 2 years. http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld=&bn=A06200&term=2015&Summary=Y&Memo=Y&Text=Y

 

I think ball joints need to be added to safety and tire tread depth should fail sooner. Annual inspections are good. Two of the other local shops here don't do Inspections so we see their cars usually just for inspections. Its insane how many of them fail.

 

Your thoughts?

Posted

They should add exhaust to the inspections. I can (have to legally) pass a car with no exhaust post cat, loose ball joints, brake pads paper thin, tires down to the wear bar, floorboards completely rusted out, fenders flapping in the wind. But if the side view mirror is cracked it fails safety. Lol

 

I always thought the idea of inspections is to get the junk off the road, rust would be a good start.

 

Inspections generate huge traffic for us, the state helped out by not handing out any new inspection facility licenses. We did about 1200 inspections last year, 50% needed something. Wiper blade, tire, you name it. The ones that didn't need anything became good customers because they passed for $21 and expected to pay more.

 

I'd hate to see it go every 2 years. My guess is they won't, its a huge money grab for the state.

 

The only downside is the dopes that want me to risk my livelihood to pass their junk because its an emergency. Oh come on man just give me a sticker I got no money (no money for safety that is). 5 cartons of cigs on the front seat under $600 of loser scratch off tickets but they can't afford a $12 wiper blade. They always come in with an expired sticker and drive away mad with no sticker, and I'm the enemy. 365 days to get their car fixed and they wait until day 366.

Posted

I agree entirely will all the above statements. Is any lobbying organization looking for stricter Inspection standards? We should all write our Assembly representatives and let them know our thoughts. Increasing tire wear and adding ball joints is a big issue for me. I feel as if I'm doing someone a disservice passing them on NYS Inspection in a snow storm with just 2/32" tread depth and giving them a piece of paper from the State telling them their car is safe for another year.

Posted

Here in NJ we have a hybrid system meaning we have private inspection facilities at gas stations/repair shops and we also have Central Facilities sprinkled over the state that are operated by Parsons (from California) and monitored by NJ Motor Vehicle Services. My customers have a choice of paying me for an inspection or go to a central facility and have it done for free. Over the years New Jersey has dropped safety testing and went to a two year sticker except for commercial vehicles. Worse yet they extended the new car sticker to five years. We are only allowed to inspect a vehicle that is five years old or older. There was a recent article in the paper indicating that vehicle fatalities have gone down since the safety test was dropped indicating the state made a wise decision. The same article indicated that tickets issued by police for unsafe vehicle conditions have gone up during the same time period indicating that safety issues are being identified by the police force as opposed to the inspection stations. Politician's love to please the public and doubling the life of a passing sticker is something the public will embrace so change will happen. Statistics in NJ and other states that have made similar changes will convince politician's in your state that a change is required and everyone will love it except for us. Will there be unsafe cars on the road due to this change - we all know that safety has to be compromised by this move. I am not knocking the police but when was the last time you saw a cop lay on the ground during a traffic stop and inspect tread depths or raise a vehicle off the ground to check the front end, brakes and exhaust system? This is not their job, it should not be their job..... it was meant to be our job.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

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      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.
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