NJ Associations Voice Concern to Changes to Inspection Program
ASSOCIATION NEWSNJ Associations Voice Concern to Changes to Inspection Program FAIR HAVEN, NJ - In a recently released statement, three of New Jersey's mechanical repair associations - the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of New Jersey (AASP/NJ), the Mechanic's Education Association (MEA) and the Professional Automotive Technicians Association (PATA) - are voicing concerns over plans by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to modify the state's safety inspection program. As a result of NJ's severe budget deficits, MVC has announced plans to modify the current safety inspection, changing many items from "failures" to "advisories." AASP/NJ says that public safety will be exchanged for minimal cost savings by decreasing the number of re-inspections at lanes operated by the state's inspection business partner, Parson's Infrastructure & Technology Group. The potential changes to the system are the latest attempts to fix a program that opponents say has cost too much money and has seriously under-performed. "We are very concerned by the rumors that the safety inspection will ultimately be eliminated to provide further cost savings," says AASP/NJ Past President Attending Bob Everett.
"It doesn't seem to make any sense
to cut back on safety inspections in the country's most densely-
populated state,"
- MEA's Director
Dave ScalerAccording to sources, the state's plans also call for doubled fines to those who fail to repair their vehicles, in effect requiring police to become the inspectors that the state already has on their payroll - a method that suggests New Jersey taxpayers will be punished twice - doubled fines, with decreased services. "It doesn't seem to make any sense to cut back on safety inspections in the country's most densely-populated state," adds MEA's Director Dave Scaler. All three groups say they have been working closely with the state during the past five years to ensure a safe and fair inspection system. "Every report or study - whether by the state or a third party - has concluded that the Private Inspection Facilities (PIFs) have gone over and above what was expected from the start," adds PATA's President Rick Ferber. "It would seem to make sense that the inspection system should be handled by business owners who are New Jersey residents and taxpayers. However, year after year we have a California company [Parsons] affecting the decisions regarding the safety of our state's vehicles. The state just doesn't get it." The associations contend that the possible modifications to the program would be a major step backward after hundreds of shops have spent tens of thousands of dollars on equipment to meet the system requirements. "This is the latest example of the state's total disregard for the investments and livelihood of New Jersey's small business PIF community," Everett says. "As the state once again prepares to hire another consultant to look at fixing this program, this only reinforces our position that we will not be able to recommend that our shops participate in the next program. The state has shown time and time and time again that they can not cost-efficiently operate a program so vital to the health and safety of New Jersey residents." AASP/NJ says it will be monitoring the state's actions very closely in the coming months. For more information on AASP/NJ, please visit the association's Web site at www.aaspnj.org.(Source: AASP/NJ)
to cut back on safety inspections in the country's most densely-
populated state,"
- MEA's Director
Dave ScalerAccording to sources, the state's plans also call for doubled fines to those who fail to repair their vehicles, in effect requiring police to become the inspectors that the state already has on their payroll - a method that suggests New Jersey taxpayers will be punished twice - doubled fines, with decreased services. "It doesn't seem to make any sense to cut back on safety inspections in the country's most densely-populated state," adds MEA's Director Dave Scaler. All three groups say they have been working closely with the state during the past five years to ensure a safe and fair inspection system. "Every report or study - whether by the state or a third party - has concluded that the Private Inspection Facilities (PIFs) have gone over and above what was expected from the start," adds PATA's President Rick Ferber. "It would seem to make sense that the inspection system should be handled by business owners who are New Jersey residents and taxpayers. However, year after year we have a California company [Parsons] affecting the decisions regarding the safety of our state's vehicles. The state just doesn't get it." The associations contend that the possible modifications to the program would be a major step backward after hundreds of shops have spent tens of thousands of dollars on equipment to meet the system requirements. "This is the latest example of the state's total disregard for the investments and livelihood of New Jersey's small business PIF community," Everett says. "As the state once again prepares to hire another consultant to look at fixing this program, this only reinforces our position that we will not be able to recommend that our shops participate in the next program. The state has shown time and time and time again that they can not cost-efficiently operate a program so vital to the health and safety of New Jersey residents." AASP/NJ says it will be monitoring the state's actions very closely in the coming months. For more information on AASP/NJ, please visit the association's Web site at www.aaspnj.org.(Source: AASP/NJ)