AutoTechnician.org's Membership Pre-Screening and Searchable Directory Helps the Best Auto Repair Shops, Technicians and Mechanics Stand Out from the Crowd

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Jan 04, 2011, 08:20 ET

ROCHESTER, N.Y., Jan. 4, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Automotive technicians and repair shops now have a new, free resource for advertising themselves as qualified professionals to prospective customers. AutoTechnician.org (http://www.autotechnician.org) uses a rigorous 25-question pre-screening assessment to ensure that the site features only qualified, experienced mechanics in its national membership directory. In this way, consumers are certain of having a reliable online resource for researching and locating the best choices for auto repair in their locale.

"Common perceptions among the general public are that car mechanics are untrustworthy and that it is extremely difficult to find a really competent one," said AutoTechnician.org founder John Kelly. "I wanted to do something about this especially since the major industry association that does certification does not provide a searchable directory of those qualified service professionals."

While it does not certify technicians or regulate them in any way, AutoTechnician.org does fill the gap for finding capable professionals. "We are a rapidly growing online resource for finding and registering the most experienced auto repair professionals in the United States and Canada," said Kelly.

With more than 25 years of experience in the automotive service and repair industry, Kelly worked as a Class "A" technician in independent auto repair shops for the majority of his career. He has been designated an ASE® Master Auto Technician by the Institute for Automotive Service Excellence since 1991, holds numerous certifications from a variety of institutions and taught advanced level automotive courses and seminars throughout the Northeast region. In addition to founding the AutoTechnician.org site, he occasionally teaches and does diagnostic consulting at local shops in Rochester.

AutoTechnician.org's pre-screening questions are written and reviewed by Kelly, the website's honorary contributors and other appointed industry professionals. Test questions change regularly but always cover diagnostics, the most difficult aspect of auto repair. Many are contributed by members to ensure a real-world experience for test takers, and all questions are scrutinized by the contributor panel for relevance and reading and comprehension requirements. "The combined experience in our panel totals more than 200 years of field service," stated Kelly. "So test-takers know that the questions will be challenging but fair."

AutoTechnician.org does not charge for testing or membership fees but instead is sponsor-driven and supported by Kelly and his panel of contributors. Auto technicians can advertise themselves or their employer and receive customer feedback, complete with five-star ratings. Additionally, AutoTechnician.org is compiling a list of hand-picked and personally reviewed online and offline resources just for professional automotive technicians and shop owners or managers.

"We are interested in providing a service, not making a profit," said Kelly. "Our goal is to make AutoTechnician.org a premier resource for locating and promoting the most qualified auto technicians and mechanics to the general public. In return, the best auto mechanics and repair shops have a new resource for attracting new customers."