December 4, 2009

GREETINGS AND SAL-UTATIONS!

Dear NJGCA Member: 

UPDATES & INFO: INSPECTION PROGRAM, RIGHT TO REPAIR & THE PACT ACT 

This week I met with representatives from the Motor Vehicle Commission and Parsons here at our office to talk about the final steps necessary for implementing the new inspection program.

Parsons illustrated to me a desire to create a more efficient way to communicate with the PIFs through their help lines, as well as offering the PIFs a “Frequently Asked Questions” sheet to help defray time lost on the phones when it is a common problem.   However, I am sure that even with the FAQ, many of you will come across problems that require assistance from the help lines.  Currently, there are 3 Help Lines: Verizon, SGS, and Parsons.  Parsons and MVC expect that each help line will be able to answer general questions, but please note the phone numbers and expertise of each of the help lines listed below.

Parsons Call Center: 888-NJ-MOTOR (888-656-6867)
Monday through Thursday 7 AM to 7 PM—Friday 7AM to 4:30 PM
Saturday 7 AM to 12 PM, excluding Holidays
• General Information on NJ Inspection Program
• Biometric fingerprint scheduling for PIF’s

Verizon Hotline: 877-365-2277
Monday through Friday, 7AM to 7 PM, excluding Holidays
• VzB enrollment form questions.
• VzB Electronic Transmission billing questions.
• VID connectivity issues (excluding internet service provider and telephone provider issues).

SGS Help Desk: 888-6NJ-2009 (888-665-2009)
Monday through Saturday 7 AM to 5 PM, excluding  Holidays
• the initial setup and installation of the NJ2009 Unit,
• hardware and software troubleshooting/diagnostics for the NJ2009 Unit,
• ordering replacement Components,
• ordering NJ2009 equipment, and
• ordering optional equipment/spares and consumables

As an FYI, Beta Testing will begin at CIFs around Mid-December and will last approximately 30 days, while PIFs will begin Beta Testing in Mid-January and last approximately 15 days.  The expected date for the official start of the program is the final week of January 2010 or the first week of February.

According to MVC, as of last Friday, 889 systems have been delivered, 400 have been initialized, but only 190 of the 700 Gas Benches have been installed. When you receive your equipment, you should do the following: Put the machine together, Set it up and connect it to the internet, at this point, the machine will automatically connect to SGS. The system will recognize if you are supposed to receive a GAS bench, and will automatically send a signal to SGS to call you and set up a delivery and installation of your gas bench.

I have also received calls from a few NJGCA members who have questions regarding Internet Connections and difficulties they are having with their connections.  ALL NJ2009 Workstations require an Internet Connection.  If you are using a High-Speed Connection you must provide an unencumbered connection, which means it MUST NOT have a proxy server or firewall that would block outgoing connections.  If you are using a dial-up connection, it MUST BE a dedicated phone line that is continuously connected to the VID.  Also, please be advised that if you use a dial-up connection, you MUST enter the following information into the NJ2009 Workstation prior to the first connection: ISP Access Phone Number, User Name, and Password.

Members have also been asking “what they should do with their old equipment?”  There is no current market to re-sell the old equipment, so as of now the only viable option seems to be scrapping the old Dyno.  BUT NOT NOW, I recommend you wait until the market for scrap metal increases, so you can realize a higher price. 

Remember that as of January 2010, Commercial Vehicles/X-Plates no longer will be permitted to have inspections every two years, but instead are mandated for annual inspections upon their next renewal.

Finally, I would like to encourage you to follow a few of the best business practices recommended by MVC. 

1) Purchase a 3-Ring Binder
2) Print EVERY VID Message from MVC
3) Implement a business practice that each Inspector in your location MUST INITIAL that they have read and understand EVERY VID message.

While we are still awaiting confirmation, please keep your calendar open on Monday, December 14, 2009 to join us in Trenton for the Senate Commerce Committee hearing, should Right to Repair be posted.  We are very close to seeing the work we have done on this legislation coming to a successful end, but we need everyone’s help in the final stretch to ensure that we are successful.  I must remind you, if we do not succeed by the 2nd week of January, we WILL HAVE TO START OVER.  Every auto repair shop should join us in Trenton on the day of the committee hearing and when the Bill is posted for a full vote, YOUR BUSINESS REQUIRES RIGHT TO REPAIR BE PASSED IMMEDIATELY.

As I have written about before, NJGCA has joined the Coalition to Stop Contraband Tobacco.  The PACT ACT is a necessary Federal law, which will ensure that every pack of cigarettes or can of smokeless tobacco pays the appropriate tax due to the state where it is delivered.  Lost tobacco customers will return because they will no longer be able to buy cigarettes from illegal sources and avoid the heavy taxes.  You will gain tobacco sales, and the NJ Treasury will receive badly needed revenues that are otherwise being lost because of cheating. 

Please write your Congressman and Senators Menendez and Lautenberg and urge them to PASS the PACT ACT.

Stay Alert for my call to get the troops to Trenton for a hearing on Right to Repair.  That call will come soon!

Thanks for listening - See you next week!

 IN THIS WEEK’S NJGCA ROAD WARRIOR                                    

POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC
•Participate in the NJGCA PAC today and help us keep our Agenda rolling in Trenton!

UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!
•Take your inspector Refresher Course with NJGCA!  November and December classes added!

BUSINESS TOOLS: AMERICAN EQUIPMENT FINANCE (AEF), LLC
•We can provide you with financing from $15,000 to $500,000 - SAVE WITH AEF!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE
•Jersey municipalities warned to tighten belts over budget concerns
•National jobless claims fall unexpectedly
•Feds expected to raise ethanol fuel blend
•Governor-Elect to re-evaluate all state borrowing

 ON THE NJGCA HOMEPAGE                                                           

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NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
Find all our communications and search for old e-newsletters. Take a look!

NEWS AROUND THE STATE ARCHIVE
Need to catch up on events?  Want to see what's going on?  Find out here!

 KNOW YOUR TERRITORY MANAGER!                                           

Henry Darden: Territory Manager for Middlesex, Union, Part of Essex (Southern Half)
Cell: 908-247-2992
Email: henry@njgca.org

Jack Leli: Territory Manager for Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean, Salem
Cell: 732-995-1637
Email: jack@njgca.org

Bob Quirk: Territory Manager for Bergen, Hudson, Part of Essex (Northern Half)
Cell: 201-214-8836
E-mail: bob@njgca.org

Frank Stewart: Territory Manager for Morris, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Passaic
Cell: 973-234-7403
Email: frank@njgca.org
 
Don Stohrer: Territory Manager for Monmouth, Mercer, Somerset
Cell: 732-539-2955
Email: don@njgca.org


POLITICAL PARTICIPATON: THE NJGCA PAC

Ensuring our friends in the legislature are re-elected and advocating for our agenda in Trenton are of utmost importance to the agenda of NJGCA.

It is for this reason that your Association has established the NJGCA PAC.

For too long, the weight of funding our Political Action Committee, the arm of the Association responsible for political donations, has rested upon the shoulders of a few.  This is not fair to them, and it is not fair to many of you who are relying on the benefits of good legislation being passed in Trenton.

To truly understand the importance of fundraising for our allies, let’s look back upon the overwhelming successes of the last year:

NJGCA successfully lobbied against BELOW COST SELLING. If approved, BELOW COST SELLING would have cost each of you thousands of dollars and put many of you out of businesses.  NJGCA leaned on some of our friends in the Assembly and literally had the bill pulled off the floor on the day it was scheduled to be voted on.  Our friends in the Legislature helped us get this accomplished.

NJGCA made history and led the charge to pass the most comprehensive protection of franchisees in decades with FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL legislation.  FIRST RIGHT OF REFUSAL passed only because NJGCA and dealers throughout the state were able to lean on several friends in the Assembly and the Senate.

NJGCA has been rallying support for RIGHT TO REPAIR over the last two years among key legislators.  This would end the practice of car manufacturers denying you the codes necessary to complete the repairs you make on your customers cars.  Every state has tried to pass RIGHT TO REPAIR and no state has even been able to get the legislation out of committee.   Because of our friends in the Legislature, NJGCA has been successful in getting this bill passed by the Assembly and now awaits a vote in the Senate.

I am asking some of you as individuals to make a contribution and attend a fundraising event sponsored by one of our friends in the Assembly.

However, we will not be able to host events for all of our friends, so the NJGCA PAC will have to make contributions.  You will be receiving letters soon from the NJGCA PAC asking you to make contributions. 

If every member contributes just $100.00 we will be able to provide the help necessary to ensure victory for our allies.

I understand that times are tough for all NJGCA members, but this is just as important as any battle we have fought in the past.

We have made great progress in Trenton.  I hope that you will answer the call.

UPDATE: NEW PIF CLASSES ADDED!!

Due to overwhelming demand, NJGCA has added additional classes in November and December.  As you know, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission has recently sent out a VID message to all Private Inspection Stations in state. 

All currently licensed Inspectors must complete an Inspector refresher course and pass a general knowledge exam with a grade of 80% or better to remain in the program.  If any test-taker answers 11 questions wrong, they will automatically fail.  A hands-on test for licensed Inspectors will not be required.

Inspectors will have until December 31, 2009 to take and pass the test.

Current Licensed Emission Inspectors only need the “Re-Fresher Course” and the “Written Exam”.  New Emission Inspectors will be given a “Hands On” test separately at your place of employment by the State of New Jersey. 

NJGCA will be offering refresher courses at the following two locations.  Classes will take place over five evenings and one afternoon:

NJGCA Headquarters
66 Morris Avenue
Springfield, NJ 07087
December: 1, 3, 8, 10 15 and 17th

NJGCA Members Cost - $349.00  
Non-Members Cost - $489.00

Manuals are included in the prices above and payment is due upon registration.  All classes are 6:45 pm to 10:00 pm; the “Written Exam” will be given on the last day at 12:00pm at NJGCA Headquarters in Springfield, NJ.

If you are interested, please contact our office to enroll in a class.
 
Please contact Debbie Hill at 973-376-0066 with any questions.


AMERICAN EQUIPMENT FINANCE (AEF), LLC

AEF will work with you to finance used and new equipment for your Gas Station, C-Store & Car Wash. 

We can provide you with financing from $15,000 to $500,000. AEF has flexible terms from 12-84 months. AEF can assist you in the following areas: Underground Tanks-Construction-Excavation-Installation, Dispensers/Pumps, Canopies, CardSystems, Vapor Recovery Systems, Coffee Machines, Showcases Refrigeration, Signage, POS Systems, Tunnels, Vacuums, Water Systems, Polishing–In-Bay, and Self Serve.

American Equipment Finance will save your business time, money and taxes.

Our finance associates can help you select the right lease or finance structure for your company’s needs. Credit decisions are usually provided in 24 hours.

NJGCA Members ONLY discounts applied.

Contact Len Baccaro at (908) 542-9330 or email him at www.aefllc.com 

NEWS AROUND THE STATE

12/3/2009:
Jersey municipalities warned to tighten belts over budget concerns
Towns throughout the state have been warned to not depend on further state municipal-aid as Trenton copes with its own drop in revenue. Many towns are freezing all non-essential spending and revising their budgets in hopes of making ends meet. 
 
12/3/2009:
National jobless claims fall unexpectedly
The Federal total of newly laid off workers seeking unemployment benefits has fallen for the fifth straight week.  Though unemployment remains at 10.2% and is expected to climb further next year, the rate has fallen to its lowest level since September 2008. Analysts are mixed on the reasons behind the drop, some claiming that employers are reluctant to hire new workers while others claim the economy is improving.

12/2/2009:
Feds expected to raise ethanol fuel blend
The federal government is expected to raise the amount of ethanol allowed in motor fuel blends to 15% according to sources at the EPA.  Currently the maximum blend for is capped at 10% for ordinary gasoline. The EPA states that raising the level to 15% will not damage cars, but has delayed any action so that vehicle manufacturers and fuel transportation companies can study the proposal further.

12/2/2009:
Governor-Elect to re-evaluate all state borrowing
With the State of New Jersey’s bad habit of borrowing money to pay its bills, the state’s debt has ballooned to $34 billion – the third highest debt burden in the nation.  To prevent any further rise in debt obligations, Governor-Elect Christie will re-evaluate all state borrowing for the coming year once he is sworn into office.

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