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New
New Legislation Seeks Federal Protection for
Aftermarket Parts
Two "repair clause" bills were introduced on Thursday to
protect aftermarket parts from patent infringement claims.
Legislators to Consider Aftermarket Parts and
Airbag Fraud Model Laws New
One proposal requires shops to produce airbag purchase
records for insurer reimbursement, and the other makes CAPA parts the
legal equivalent of OEM.


US Driving Ticks Up for First Time in Over 18
Months
Gas may be on the rise, but US drivers logged more miles
in April 2009 than they did last year.
OSHA: Recent Inspection Rate Nearly Double Late
1990s
The rate of OSHA inspections has increased dramatically
in recent years. Data shows that respiratory protection tops the list
for fines and citations.

Collision Repair Wages Increasing, Industry
Shrinking
We examine industry wage data for the past six years and
focus on wages paid for estimators, painters and body repairers.


Q&A with Barry Dorn, SCRS Chairman 2009
Dorn discusses recent call for Justice Department
involvement in the industry, renewed attempt to enforce the 1963 Consent
Decree, and future of SCRS.


CIC Meeting Touches on Repair Standards, Parts
Availability and CCC Change
Committee says standards will level the playing field so
cars get fixed properly.


Collision Repair Facility Business Conditions:
First Quarter 2009
The sales and earnings reports for the first quarter are
in, and they aren't good.

CCC's New Prompt: Why a Two-Tenths Deduction Costs
Over $50 on an Estimate
An explanation of Pathways' new refinish calculations,
and why that .2 deduction reduces your estimate by more than 8 or
9 dollars.
American Family Loses Appeal in $17 Mil
Aftermarket Parts Case
Case also cites insurer's routine failure to include
required repair procedures on its estimates.
Estimating Systems Show Trend of Rising Labor
Times on 2009 Models
We compare a sampling of estimates on all three systems
to see how labor times are changing from one year to the next, and how
much.

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