Stephanie Bakalar
Stephanie has spent over a decade advising small and family-owned auto repair shops on growth, hiring, and customer experience. With an MBA from Western and a background in small-business lending, she has worked directly with more than 200 independent Canadian shops on pricing, marketing, and CRA-compliant bookkeeping. She writes about the operational and regulatory side of running a profitable independent garage in Canada.
1417 articles by Stephanie
Who Goes First at a Wyoming Four-Way Stop? Roundabout Rules Too
At a Wyoming four-way stop, the driver who stops first goes first. See what to do when you arrive together, how to turn left, and how to drive a roundabout.
Alaska Teen Driver Penalties: Points, $200 Penalty, Suspension
What an Alaska teen faces for breaking provisional rules or getting a ticket: the $200 penalty, points, the 6-month wait, a course and suspension.
How to Get an Arkansas Instruction Permit at 14 (Steps, Rules and Cost)
You can get an Arkansas instruction permit at 14. See the tests, the papers for under 18, the $5 exam fee and who may ride with you.
California Provisional License Points: Restriction, Suspension
What a ticket or a crash brings for a California driver under 18: points, a 30-day restriction or a suspension. Plus the 0.01% rule under 21 and the phone ban.
Colorado Hands-Free Law: Phone Use Rules, Fines and Teen Drivers
Colorado bans holding your phone while driving. See what counts as use, the $75 to $250 fines and points, the exceptions and what the DMV tells teen drivers.
Foreign Driver's License in Connecticut: Who Can Transfer
Only Canada, Germany and France licenses transfer to Connecticut. Learn what everyone else does, and the rules for visitors and students on a foreign license.
Florida School Bus Law: When You Must Stop, Points and Required Course
Florida drivers must stop for a school bus that shows a stop signal until it is withdrawn. See the divided highway exception, points, fines and required course.
Hawaii Moped and Motorcycle Permits: Class 1, Class 2, Rider Course
Any license class covers a moped in Hawaii. A motorcycle needs a Class 2 permit, and since Dec. 26, 2025, a rider course comes first. See the steps.
Illinois School Bus Law: When You Must Stop and the Fine
Stop for a stopped Illinois school bus from either direction, with a four-lane exception. See where it applies, the $300 and $1,000 fines and the suspensions.
Louisiana School Bus Law: When to Stop and the Penalties
When to stop for a school bus in Louisiana, how far back to stay, when you do not have to stop, and the fines and license suspensions.
Maine School Bus Stopping Law: When You Must Stop and the Fines
In Maine you must stop for a school bus with red lights flashing, from either direction. See when you can go again, the two exceptions and the penalties.
Foreign Driver's Licence in Manitoba: Exchange, Tests and GDL Credit
How long a licence from outside Canada and the U.S. works in Manitoba, when MPI may waive tests, the Class 5A path, GDL credit and the ID to bring.