Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association

09/02/2026

🚗🔧 Big investment. Big opportunity for the next generation of technicians.

The ASE Education Foundation is putting its $25 million, four-year U.S. Department of Labor apprenticeship grant to work expanding Registered Apprenticeship opportunities across the automotive, collision and truck service industries.

The initiative is designed to help employers recruit, train and retain new technicians, with financial incentives tied to apprentice retention milestones. Participating sponsors can receive up to $3,500 per apprentice as they reach 90- and 270-day milestones.

For an industry facing an ongoing shortage of skilled technicians, investments like this can make a meaningful difference—giving more people a pathway into a skilled, rewarding career while helping shops develop the workforce they need.

💡 The future of collision repair depends on developing talent—and apprenticeship is an important part of that future.

👉 Read more about how the funding is being put to work:

This article has been updated since its initial publication to quote Dave Johnson’s answers to Repairer Driven News’ questions, which were provided after the publication deadline. In th…

09/02/2026

⏰Time is running out for Early-Bird Pricing – Register Today!

The 2026 RDE series delivers four days of practical, industry-specific education at The SEMA Show, designed to help collision repair professionals strengthen operations, protect revenue, and bring actionable insight back to the shop.

From repair planning and leadership to technology, financial strategy, mechanical operations, and marketing, these sessions are built around education you can put to work.

Early bird pricing ENDS Friday, September 25. Register now to save and secure your place: https://na2.hubs.ly/H07z0vn0

09/01/2026

📱🚗 How often is cellphone use actually a factor in crashes?

A new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) suggests the answer may be significantly higher than police reports indicate.

Researchers examining anonymized telematics data found cellphone use in the 30 seconds before impact in 7% of single-vehicle crashes and 8% of two-vehicle crashes—while police reports recorded phone use in less than 1% of those crashes.

The findings highlight just how difficult it can be to identify distracted driving after a crash—and underscore the importance of keeping our attention where it belongs: on the road.

👉 Read the full story from Repairer Driven News:

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says its new study, based on anonymized cellphone data from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), shows that more drivers use cellphones before crashe…

08/31/2026

DEG Inquiry 41796 elaborates on modifications for replacement parts.

“Please reference the following information from the labor general information section of the procedure pages under Additions to labor time: Rework Parts To fit a particular year or model (example: cutting holes for lamps, modifying a radiator support).”

For example, 2024 Ford Bronco front bumper reinforcement may ay require “Drill Holes As Required, Shim As Needed” which can be found in the Ford OEM Parts Catalogue

https://degweb.org/inquiries/41796/

08/19/2026

📋 **Estimators: Is your estimate telling the whole repair story?**

The **Database Enhancement Gateway (DEG)** continues to provide valuable estimating guidance to help repairers identify potential gaps, understand what is—and isn't—included in estimating system labor times, and better document the work required to complete a proper repair.

With estimating challenges constantly evolving, staying current on DEG updates can be another valuable tool in your repair-planning toolbox.

🔎 **Take a look at the latest DEG estimating tips and see what may apply to your shop.**

👉 Read the full article:

The Database Enhancement Gateway’s (DEG) most recent estimate tips explore label replacement labor, welded seams and weld zone repair and refinish, data access fees, masking bumpers with texture or…

08/18/2026

A class action filed in Montana alleges State Farm systematically refuses to pay for pre- and post-repair scans in the state when those scans are performed at independent collision repair shops. S…

08/17/2026

Estimating Tip – Solera Qapter (Audatex) – Multiple Rate / Labor Breakout Feature

Solera Qapter users can apply Multiple Rates (MR) to a single line item. For example, when replacing a quarter panel, Qapter may include a head curtain airbag under the main component classification. You can open the Labor Breakout feature and assign a specific classification for accurate rate application. More information on Labor Breakout and Multiple Rates can be found in the Solera Qapter DBRM page 42

https://degweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/DatabaseReferenceManual-4-25.pdf

08/15/2026

08/14/2026

08/07/2026