Licensing In Texas?

[Jeremiahswindshieldrepair]

Nomad ... I totally agree with you. Except the part about crooks getting licenses. I think anyone on this forum would get a license and not a single one of them is a crook in any way shape or form. The crook here is exactly as you described, the Governing body.


I am far from indoctrinated into government ways of thinking, however, I do see a use in having mainstreamed training for replacement people. Howelse can that be paid for except by charging a stipend for doing the test. Frankly some of the folks putting windshields in now are just plain scary and if this knocks alot of the hacks off it will be good. As far as windshield repairs go I don't think anything more than a simple test is neccesary ... except possibly a class.... I figure the neccessity for licensing and testing by the amount of harm the occupation can inflict on the customer. Example, I , at one point, had my series 7 license .. which is the stock brokers license.. Ihad to take schooling for like a month or more, then a HUGE test that about 20% of the people pass the first time. According to your point of view that whole process would be bad ... but honestly I don't want a guy with minimal, or maybe NO knowledge handling my money and investing it poorly and losing my life savings. Yes I could go to a more experienced person but then no one would be able to get into the biz as a new guy because no new person could be trusted. Other instances of the same thing would be medical, lawyers, construction equipment operators, dentists, school teachers, contruction of any kind (framers, roofers, electricians etc..), escrow officers, title examiners, police officers, fire fighters, ambulance drivers/attendants, EMS folks .... and the list could go on forever.
Now tell me which of these would you like to work on your body/house/finances/kids with no regulation or testing required. I didn't think so. Now I am certainly not equating WSR to any of those occupations ... some would say it is a life or death situation repairing a windshield but with my limited knowledge and at this point in my journey I don't think a WSR is anything but a financial savings to the customer/ins. co. and a profit to the repair guy. There is a very minimal safety component involved with doing a chip ... that being said there is really no need for extensive regulation. Like I said earlier I think a simple test or requiring a manufacturers cert. program is very sufficient.

Not only that but it will bring some credibility to those of us out on the front lines .. sometimes people are skeptical that we are out scamming people but if we can laminate out license and hang it around our neck (which is what I would do) it will provide a great deal of surety to the older more skeptical folks and I think it will be a selling point that wil bring us MORE biz and less hacks competing with real WSR techs. The government needs to get back in it's place but there are some places that legitimately need a guiding principal and base of knowledge.



"It seems the harder I work the luckier I get" Abraham Lincoln

"It's not about whether you win or lose ... it's about whether you WIN!" Brian Jeremiah

[Layne]

Now that was a rather lengthy epistle regarding a perceived need to license windshield repair techs. I do realize that licensing has been a need in the medical field...and in the judicial arena as well as some other disciplines. In my own opinion, I see this as a means for "big brother" to gain control of a perfectly legal profession for the benefit of those that reap the greatest profits from the glass industry by weeding out the less fortunate but more honest and experienced windshield repair techs.

As a case in point, and I am sure many of you have similar experiences, I spent 25+ years in the explosives, pyrotechnics and industrial arena as a civilian safety manager with the department of defense and was never licensed! I can't recall very many other disciplines that are a lot more dangerous.

To sum it up, I believe that politics has invaded this profession and money plays a large part of it. The crusaders could do well to channel their efforts into the crash test program----because they seem to be choking on the flea while letting the elephant go.

[Nomad]

The NWRA could be the body that would "approve" wsr techs. Similar to UL approved or the Good Houskeeping Seal of approval. Private service agencies could perform this function without the hammer of govt being above us. Perhaps we could persuade the people at NWRA to do something like this without outside influence. At least then we would be "approved" by someone that actually knows something about the business.

[mafsu]

The NWRA has a certification process already in place. From what I understand it is very underutilized. I am not certified. Why? Because I don't see it making any difference in my business. Never had a customer of any type ask if I was certified or licensed. Brian hit on something earlier. Where is the inherent danger to the public in the wsr business? A poor repair looks bad and probably will crack out. Does this leave the customer in danger? Only of wasting their money. Isn't that why we have the BBB and other similer organizations? The problem is the average customer is not concerned enough to ask the questions, or to do the 5 minutes of research to find out if you are someone they want to work on their car or not. If the public is not concerned, why are the legislators concerned? What exactly are they concerned about?

[Layne]

Sounds like a good idea---but, does the NWRA require a fee for membership? If so, then it would be nothing more than another dollar grabbing scheme...regardless of who is doing it. I have been repairing windshields for a little over 7 years--quite a bit less than some of you --and object to being subject to licensing.

I think that it would be a fair requirement for we techs to be active and participating members in these windshield repair forums. I think that we can all agree that the knowledge gained and shared in here exceeds that found in any textbook.

[clear]

Has The Bill In Texas Already Taken In Eeffect? If Not When Will It Also Does It Effect Current Business Oeners Are We Going To Able To Get Granfathered In.

[GlassStarz]

Obviosly the money for operation has to come from somewhere. if they count on the mfgs for it they get tainted. hey every special interest group has a dues be it AARP or a Union

[Sneck]

I don't trust the government where money is involved - (local or federal). I am a fully law abiding citizen, and always will be. But after reading these posts, and all the other stuff that happens in government, I DON'T TRUST EM!

[mafsu]

No, the bill has not taken effect yet. They are trying to not grandfather anyone.

[clear]

If The Bill Is Accepted How Will Present Owners Get A License? Also Who And What Is To Determine The Eligibility Of Getting A License