State Shop Licensing: Did you know that this very term is a trigger that ignites varying degrees of emotion, depending on the shop owner and his or her geographic location? That's what we learned when our ASA-Oregon board decided to research the feasibility of licensing for all shops in Oregon. We gave presentations at various member meetings around the state and then surveyed our 500-plus membership for its feedback, which included asking them if they believed shop licensing should be required for the auto service industry in Oregon. That survey resulted in the highest return rate ever for our state. One hundred sixty surveys were completed with two-thirds in favor of shop licensing, which gave our state board the direction it needed to take the next step.

Therefore, I should be reporting that ASA-Oregon is preparing to introduce a shop licensing bill into Oregon's legislature next month - but I'm not. Our state board elected to put the shop licensing project on hold until after our state convention this month. This decision came after the "noise" of the minority was raised. The “noise” was manipulation of the facts, plus threats and fear of the unknown, which created enough concern that the board felt postponing the process was appropriate. We have planned an open forum during our state convention that will give members the opportunity to learn more about shop licensing as well as consumer protection regulations around the country. Our goal is to then ask members to vote, sometime in early spring, if they favor or oppose shop licensing in Oregon.

I must admit that this process has been a learning experience for many of us. For starters, those of us in favor of shop licensing have witnessed firsthand why the automotive industry has progressed so slowly. Fear! Fear of change ... fear of the unknown ... fear of taking the first step. I can assure you we have heard volumes of expressions of fear and emotion from the minority. We have also learned that, though the majority believes the future survival of our industry is through shop licensing and the customer confidence it will bring, the minority does not. And probably the greatest realization for the majority has been that their vision of the automotive service industry is more long term than the minority's mere snapshot of the future.

This process also revealed that those opposed to licensing believe that the status quo is acceptable and it is someone else's responsibility to look after our industry. Moreover, the combination of these two beliefs is frightening. Equally frightening: They also see no need to ask all shops to play by the same rules and their greatest issue with shop licensing seems to be their mistrust of government (founded or not), which is fundamentally difficult to mediate.

It's clear to me that the only way for us to succeed in leveling the playing field for all shops and offering the motoring public the confidence it needs is to dispel the fear of our opponents within the industry. If ASA intends to be the respected leader that chooses to advance our industry to the next level, then we need shop owners who do not fear change. Are you part of the industry's full vision for the future or a small snapshot of tomorrow?

I encourage you to share your thoughts about shop licensing and take a few minutes to complete ASA national's shop licensing survey in this issue!

Rick Allison is the shop manager of AAMCO Transmissions in Eugene, Ore. He is also a member of ASA's Mechanical Division Operations Committee. Allison has been a member of ASA since 1994.

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