IN BRIEF

CARSTAR continues franchise growth

CARSTAR franchise systems added four locations in recent months, raising the franchise organization's total store count to 380 locations across North America. Same store sales were strong systemwide, increasing 6.2 percent this year (year-to-date) compared to last year's figures for the same timeframe. CARSTAR, which continues to evolve as a large franchise organization in the collision repair industry, has added 26 new stores during 2006.

Legislators push total loss bills for 2007

Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) are backing new insurance regulations to prevent flooded and wrecked vehicles from being resold and have vowed to continue pushing for passage in 2007.

Lott's bill (S-3707), the Consumer Access to Total Loss Vehicle Data Act, would provide information to consumers about vehicles declared a total loss by insurance companies. Stearns' legislation (H.R.-6093) calls for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require the disclosure of all information pertaining to the fair market value and safety of damaged vehicles. The vehicle data could be shared through such online auto services as CARFAX.

Totaled, flooded or stolen vehicles would be permanently "red-flagged" by insurers under the proposed legislation. Insurance companies also would be required to reveal the reason for the total loss, the date of the total loss, the odometer reading on that date, and whether or not the airbag deployed.

Both bills grew out of concern that vehicles damaged during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita would be resold without complete disclosure of the damage they had incurred during the storms. It is estimated that some 500,000 automobiles were damaged by floodwaters in the 2005 hurricanes.

Top S/P2 users honored

The Coordinating Committee For Automotive Repair (CCAR) has honored the top ten users of its S/P2 e-learning program among General Motors Automotive Service Educational Programs (ASEP) schools.

They are: Community College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas; Cuyamaca College, El Cajon, Calif.; Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny, Iowa; San Jacinto College, Pasadena, Texas; Fox Valley Technical College, Appleton, Wis.; Delta College, University Center, Mich.; Guilford Technical Community College, Jamestown, N.C.; Brookhaven College, Farmers Branch, Texas; Southeast Community College, Milford, Neb.; and Florida Community College, Jacksonville, Fla.

ASA testifies during December CARB hearing

The Automotive Service Association (ASA), testified at the Dec. 7, California Air Resources Board (CARB) public hearing to consider amendments to California's emission warranty information reporting and recall regulations and emission test procedures. Denny Kahler, AAM, ASA's immediate-past chairman, spoke on behalf of ASA.

Prior to the hearing, ASA urged its California membership to contact CARB to show opposition for the proposed regulatory changes to current emission warranty regulations. ASA is concerned that any expansion of the vehicle warranty status will negatively impact independent repairers economically in the state of California. In the past, ASA has opposed California warranty expansion initiatives.

Kahler testified, "As you are aware, ASA opposed previous warranty extensions, including those in the Low Emission Vehicle Il program that extended emissions warranties from three years/50,000 miles to 15 years/150,000 miles. While ASA supports clean car programs, we believe they can exist and prosper in states without expanding or extending warranties at the expense of independent repair facilities."

GM opens testing facility

General Motors opened a state-of-the-art rollover crash test facility Dec. 5. GM claims it is the first North American automaker to integrate in-house testing for the infrequent but potentially deadly rollover crashes that claim 10,000 lives per year.

Rollovers account for just 2 percent of all crashes, but claim 40 percent of the fatalities annually in America, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

GM's goal for the S10 million facility is to study ways to potentially reduce injuries and deaths in rollover crashes by developing sensors for airbags that can help protect occupants in a rollover and help to keep occupants from being ejected. Between 150 and 200 rollover crash tests will be conducted a year in the new facility.

SCRS to fete 25 years

The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is finalizing its 25th anniversary celebration plans, scheduled to take place April 10, 2007, at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Atlanta.

Highlights include a dinner reception honoring all past chairpersons, former staff, founding members and John Loftus, the first SCRS executive director, who played a key role in getting the association off the ground.

The celebration will be held in conjunction with the SCRS annual election, induction of officers and two town hall forums, on April 11. For more information, visit www.scf5.com.