Massachusetts auto store owner with broken inspection system feels ‘betrayed’
JOURNALIST: AT THIS POINT, IT IS A PARTIAL CORRECTION. STATE INDICATES THAT MOST AUTOMOTIVE STORES WILL BE RETURNED THIS WEEKEND. IT HAS NOT YET FIXED HOW MUCH IT WILL BE. IN THIS NEEDHAM AUTOMOTIVE STORE, THE MECHANICS ARE NOW ONCE AGAIN, ABLE TO CHECK THE HORNS, BRAKES AND LIGHTS. AND PRINT NEW INSPECTION STICKERS USING RMV’S COMPUTER SYSTEM. >> IT’S A LITTLE FRUSTRING WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO MAKE THE STICKERS. BUT IT WORKS WELL TODAY. JOURNALIST: HOW MANY HAVE YOU DONE SO FAR? >> FIVE, SINCE THIS MORNING. JOURNALIST: THE TECHNICIANS PASSED FROM STORE TO STORE TO INSTALL NEW EQUIPMENT. AFTER A COMPUTER ATTACK ON A COMPANY CALLED APPLUS THAT PROVIDES THE SYSTEM. THIS ATTACK STOPPED ALL INSPECTIONS AT THE END OF LAST MONTH IN MASSACHUSETTS AND 7 OTHER STATES. >> NORMALLY, THIS ISN’T THE SCREEN YOU WANT TO BE. JOURNALIST: UP THE STREET, THE SCREEN IS STILL WHITE ON ANOTHER STORE’S INSPECTION SYSTEM AND THE OWNER IS FURIOUS. IT SAYS THE STATE PROMISED NO ONE WOULD START DOING INSPECTIONS UNTIL EVERYBODY’S SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN FIXED. NOW, HE FEARS OF LOSING CUSTOMERS. >> THEN I FEEL A LIE, BETRAYED. I HAVE BEEN A DISADVANTAGE. I mean, why don’t I make stickers and the guy down the street is? JOURNALIST: STATE AFFIRMS THAT APPLUS WILL COMPENSATE STORE OWNERS FOR EVERY DAY THEIR SYSTEM IS BROKEN. Meanwhile, APPROXIMATELY 190,000 VEHICLES ARE CURRENTLY UNDER INSPECTION. THE STATE PROMISED THAT THE POLICE WILL NOT PUT PEOPLE TICKET WITH EXPIRED STICKERS IN MARCH OR APRIL. >> IT WOULD BE ENOUGH UNREASONABLE FOR THEM TO DO THIS. I DIDN’T REALLY WORRIED OTHER THAN YOU WANT TO UPDATE AND INSPECT IT SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT. JOURNALIST IT WILL TAKE SO LONG TO WORK THROUGH THIS BACKLOG, THE STATE HAS STILL EXTENDED THE DEADLINE FOR ALL INSPECTIONS TO
Massachusetts auto store owner with broken inspection system feels ‘betrayed’
Updated: 6:29 PM EDT April 17, 2021
Vehicle inspections are resuming at most inspection stations in Massachusetts, but some of those stations are still offline.
Vehicle inspections are resuming at most inspection stations in Massachusetts, but some of those stations are still offline.
