Report: Lawmaker ‘drives auto mechanic licensing update’ through Michigan House

From TV 6

LANSING, Mich. (WLUC) – State Rep. Greg Markkanen’s proposal to update Michigan’s outdated licensing rules for auto mechanics was approved Thursday by the House with unanimous bipartisan support.

State law intends to require mechanics to have a special certification to work on larger commercial trucks because they typically have more advanced components.

Markkanen (R- Hancock) said his plan updates the law to more accurately reflect the larger size of modern pickup trucks and make sure a special certificate is not required to service a pickup.

“When the current rules were established, it made sense to classify any vehicle weighing more than 10,000 pounds as a heavy-duty truck that requires the special certificate,” Markkanen said. “Now, many pickup trucks weigh more than 10,000 pounds – and their engines, transmissions and other components are not any different than the mechanics in smaller cars and trucks.”

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