Simas & Associates receives phone calls from potential clients all the time. But recently a theme has developed among Bureau of Automotive Repair ("B.A.R.") shop owners which motivated us to write this blog. This blog addresses the four most frequently occurring flaws received and how regularly we automotive repair shops Read more…
Every so often, the team at Simas & Associates, Ltd. encounters a new story about a licensee who undertook to represent himself or herself in an administrative proceeding. The seeming informal nature of administrative proceedings somehow lures intelligent, successful, licensees and business owners into thinking they can represent themselves. Unfortunately, Read more…
In the state of California, some vehicles will require a special license or certificate in order to operate them. Examples include: Commerical Drivers License (CDL) (i.e. Tractor trailers; Construction vehicles; City buses; Shuttles, etc.) CDL with Specified Endorsement (e.g. School buses- (S) endorsement; Passenger buses – (P) endorsement; Tankers – (N) endorsement; Vehicles transporting hazardous materials – Read more…
The administrative license suspension program, known as “Admin Per Se” (“APS”) was implemented in California in 1990 to serve as a stronger deterrent to drunk driving. The APS program compels the Department of Motor Vehicles (“DMV”) to immediately suspend or revoke the driving privileges of any person arrested for the Read more…
If you are arrested in California for driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% with an out-of-state driver's license, your driver's license will not be immediately confiscated. However, you will be notified that your driving privileges in the state of California will be suspended in thirty (30) days. Wow, just reading Read more…
STAR Certification On January 1, 2013, the Bureau of Automotive Repair (“BAR”) replaced its former “Gold Shield” program with STAR certification. The STAR program is the Bureau’s certification program that applies to a Registered Automotive Repair Dealer that is also a licensed smog check test-and-repair station or a test-only station Read more…