TIA calls pressure check mandate 'burdensome'

The Tire Industry Association (TIA) calls a recently passed regulation that will force all tire dealers in California to check air pressure on every vehicle they service "overreaching and burdensome."

Last week, the California Environmental Protection Agency's Air Resources Board announced that starting in July 2010, all tire dealers and auto repair service providers in the state will be required to check tire pressures on every vehicle they service. Some 40,000 service providers will be subject to the regulation.

Paul Fiore, TIA director of government and business relations, says certain requirements within the mandate -- including the notation of pressure levels and reading times on invoices -- "are overkill. I find those regulations burdensome."

TIA, he explains, is concerened "about creating more liability for tire dealers. Trial lawyers are always looking for pieces of paper to use... it's a gift to the trial lawyers."

Fiore adds that the Air Resources Board did not consult TIA before putting the regulation together.

comments

1. Chris | March 30, 2009 at 04:20PM
   I don't like force regulation either, but if the industry had the foresight and leadership to push for this ourselves, we wouldn't be reading stories like this. Long gone are the days of full-service, but why can't the industry step up and offer more without the prompt. Burdensome? I'm not sure a customer would feel that way after you told them you've checked the air pressure (and oil level, etc.) and all is good to go. You wouldn't need a lot of paper to do that. Don't complain about being told to do something that we should have been doing anyway. It sounds too much like my kids...

2. John | March 30, 2009 at 04:53PM
   I can't see a problem with this rulling. Doesn't everybody check air pressure in the tires of every car? We do. With every vehicle we service even flat repairs we do a courtesy vehicle inspection which includes air pressure check. I don't understand why it has to come to a mandate for someone to do this, by checking the air in your customers tires lets them know that you care and it also gives you a chance to look at their tires. Looking at their tires gives you a chance for a possible sale if one is there.
   
   SO WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL! Or is everybody making enough money, so they don't have to take care of our customers.

3. Ed | March 30, 2009 at 07:18PM
   I am totally opposed to any more Government meddling and regulation in the Tire Service industry. Almost everything the Government touches gets screwed up.
   
   HOWEVER
   
   I don't understand why we the Tire people should not be checking air in peoples tires. That is just good basic service. We have had that policy in our shop for 43 years. Any car or Pickup that we get on our racks gets the air pressure checked. You cannot even get an accurate Alignment job without setting air pressure evenly.
   
   I get resistance from employes we hire from other Tire dealers especially the big dealers. I am always told "it takes to long". If you are going to work here that is a rule.
   
   We check every spare as well. 80% of spares are under 30 lbs and many below 20 psi when they require 60 PSI. So I am quite sure no one else checks them.
   
   That's what service is about.

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