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Recruit and retain A survey of 157 body shop operators in the U.S. and Canada asked what they were doing to hire and keep collision repair technicians amid an industrywide shortage. Among their responses (more than 1 permitted): More training/career planning 56% Better pay 36% Enhanced benefits 32% Source: Supplement Advisory, Raymond James Capital punishment When the check-engine light came on last year, motorists in the District of Columbia faced the highest average repair cost — $414.02 — according to a study by the automotive diagnostic data provider CarMD.com. Check-engine repairs were least expensive in Ohio in 2018, at an average cost of $354.24. Labor costs to perform such repairs were lowest in Vermont, highest in Mississippi. Parts costs were lowest in Michigan, highest in Connecticut. The most and least expensive locales for check-engine repairs: Highest costs Lowest costs District of Columbia $414.02 Ohio $354.24 Connecticut $413.91 Maine $354.38 California $403.13 Michigan $356.16 Georgia $402.66 Wisconsin $356.84 New Jersey $401.59 Vermont $359.64 Source: CarMD.com Go north, young tech Fairbanks, Alaska, is the best city for auto service technicians to pursue a career at dealerships and other shops, a study concludes. The business insurance consultant AdvisorSmith Solutions surveyed 388 U.S. cities for availability and average salary of tech jobs, as well as such criteria as overall cost of living, vehicle demand and miles driven. The top 10 cities for techs: 1 Fairbanks, Alaska 6 Amarillo, Texas 2 Sierra Vista, Ariz. 7 Longview, Texas 3 Memphis, Tenn. 8 Auburn, Ala. 4 Homosassa Springs, Fla. 9 Jacksonville, N.C. 5 Waterbury, Conn. 10 Kankakee, Ill. Source: AdvisorSmith Solutions Inc. Shop floor (or ceiling) Among the 100 largest U.S. cities, Las Vegas has the most auto repair shops per person, and Boston the fewest, according to a study by the personal finance website WalletHub. Las Vegas has 11 times as many shops per capita as Boston, the study found. The cities with the highest and lowest rates: Most shops per person Fewest shops per person 1 Las Vegas 100 Boston 2 Orlando 99 Irvine, Calif. 3 New York 98 Laredo, Texas 4 Miami 97 Washington 5 Houston 96 New Orleans Source: WalletHub Bigger and costlier The share of collision claims involving pickups, SUVs and crossovers has risen steadily in the past 3 years, collision management software provider Mitchell International reports. In the 2nd quarter of 2019, such vehicles accounted for nearly 48% of claims, up from less than 44% in the first quarter of 2017 — a reflection, Mitchell says, of U.S. consumers’ growing preference for light trucks over cars. On average, Mitchell adds, collision repair for light trucks costs 14.6% more than for cars. Percentage of collision claims involving pickups, SUVs and crossovers, by quarter: 2017 Q1 43.5% 2018 Q2 45.5% 2017 Q2 43.8% 2018 Q3 46.1% 2017 Q3 44.1% 2018 Q4 46.6% 2017 Q4 44.4% 2019 Q1 47.4% 2018 Q1 45.1% 2019 Q2 47.9% Source: Mitchell International

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