Car repairs have never cost more. Congress can fix that

Published May 15, 2026 11:00am ET



Cars and trucks are the American economy’s backbone. In 2024, nearly 7 in 10 working adults drove alone to their jobs, and trucks carried more than 70% of the country’s freight. While many of our industry’s supply chain challenges have rebounded since the COVID-19 pandemic, any examination shows the backbone is under heavy strain and worsening.

Since 2020, car repair bills have jumped more than 60%, twice the overall inflation rate for the same period, and motor vehicle maintenance was the lead driver of transportation-related inflation last year. 

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