Dept of Weights and Measures

[Tpoppa]

I received a call from the Dept of Weights and Measures. Apparently they certify that timing devices work properly and they are now looking at self serve car washes.

Has anyone had to deal with this type of regulation before?

 

[Buzzie8]

They showed up at my older wash unannounced about 6 months ago and tested 3 vacuums and 3 SS bays. They put stickers on each one and then left me a report in the mailbox reporting their findings. Everything checked out OK and that one vac was giving an extra 15 seconds of time. I am not sure what they would have done if the time was lower than promised.

 

[cantbreak80]

Apparently, they're not getting enough tax revenue in the great State of Ohio? I wonder how many new gov employees the Dept of Weights and Measures intends to hire to handle the massive new work load?

Imagine how much the Dept could increase revenues if they certified all those parking meters in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Akron, Toledo and Youngstown? Not to mention Warren, Findley, Wooster, and ...

On the positive side...The additional fees that will undoubtedly accompany the semi-annual (?)inspection gives you the perfect opportunity to pass the expense on to your customers...by way of a price increase.

 

[2Biz]

Didn't you guys get the Memo? Big "O" promised he was going to create more jobs!

I live in Ohio and haven't got hit yet....

 

[mjwalsh]

On the positive side...The additional fees that will undoubtedly accompany the semi-annual (?)inspection gives you the perfect opportunity to pass the expense on to your customers...by way of a price increase.

cantbreak80 & others,

I see a pattern here that could eventually be problematic. Some states ... sales & use tax enforced firmly. Merchant fees ... no control over going rates that mega industry decides as the norm. Pit dumping fees increasing. Water bills higher. Boiler inspection fees. Other reasons that gives us "the opportunity to pass the added expenses"

After awhile .... the added cost &/or perception of cost passed on to the customer can make more of us less viable ... in my humble opinion of course.

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[chaz]

Our timers have been checked every two years here in Hamilton County, Ohio for many years. No direct fee charged to us, other than providing coinage to activate each timer. Same folks also check scales, gas pumps, and grocery scanners for accuracy to posted prices.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Good grief! I wonder whose bright idea it was to pay a staff to check all these timed devices that any customer can check with a wristwatch or smart phone for free.

 

[MEP001]

Good grief! I wonder whose bright idea it was to pay a staff to check all these timed devices that any customer can check with a wristwatch or smart phone for free.

And they check it too - I replaced a timer recently and had it set wrong, and boy did the calls flood in. Obviously I didn't have it set to give TOO MUCH time...

 

[pgrzes]

In Pa. I get checked and charged every year!!! I think it costs me $35 for each timed device. We give the guy a handful of tokens and he goes and times everything. They put a decal on everything that was checked and a detailed report of time on everything. I hate the cost to do this but sometimes when you get that person that ALWAYS says your times not right you point to the sticker and tell them to call the phone number on it and ask for a report!! Or the other thing I like to do is tell them ill put $100 bill on it!!! If its no over by 2 secs. you can have it!!! never once has anybody put up their $100.

 

[Tpoppa]

I personally don't think should be applicable unless you advertise a specific amount of time per $.

I purposely don't advertise any specific length of time. I charge $ for 1 car wash, not for 3 or 4 minutes of use.

 

[chaz]

Here in Hamilton County, Ohio (Cincinnati) we are required to post the amount of time that our equipment will run for a specific amount of money. I assume you have your vacs and SS bays set to turn off at some point after the fee is paid for "1 car wash", not sure how this can be accomplished, and be fair to all customers, without some sort of timing device.

 

[gearhead]

w and m

They get me every year in Columbus. $25 per vac. He does 2 at a time. Takes him longer to write up the ticket than it does the work. Pretty good gig if you can get it.

 

[IBFLYIN]

In Pa. I get checked and charged every year!!! I think it costs me $35 for each timed device. We give the guy a handful of tokens and he goes and times everything. They put a decal on everything that was checked and a detailed report of time on everything. I hate the cost to do this but sometimes when you get that person that ALWAYS says your times not right you point to the sticker and tell them to call the phone number on it and ask for a report!! Or the other thing I like to do is tell them ill put $100 bill on it!!! If its no over by 2 secs. you can have it!!! never once has anybody put up their $100.

Strange... I've had 3 washes in Pa for 15 years. Never had them checked. I'm just lucky, I guess?