AirCare (emissions program)
AirCare was a vehicle emissions testing program in place in the Lower Mainland including the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Fraser Valley Regional District of British Columbia. The program was operational from 1992 to December 31, 2014. Drivers in these areas were required to demonstrate that their vehicle has recently passed an emissions test before they are permitted to renew their auto insurance. Auto insurance is mandatory for all vehicles operated on public roads throughout British Columbia. The program was administered by a subsidiary of TransLink, Pacific Vehicle Testing Technologies Ltd. The actual testing was carried out by Envirotest Canada, a Canadian subsidiary of ESP Global.
AirCare tested vehicles for the following regulated pollutants: hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and diesel particulate. The program further claimed to reduce the production of carbon dioxide as the repairs for cars that fail often also improves fuel economy[citation needed]. Each vehicle type and model year had its own pass/fail criteria based on the emission standards at the time the vehicle was built.
The AirCare program started in 1992 and had been operated by Envirotest Canada (formerly and then known as Ebco-Hamilton Partners), a ESP-Global company, since its development and construction in 1991. The program was a for-profit venture of Envirotest Canada which had received provincial government backing to administer the emissions program. Under this agreement ESP/Envirotest Canada were promised a guaranteed profit of at least 9% of revenue[citation needed]. The revenue and auditing of the program were handled by PVTT which took in all revenue, took its operating costs out and passed the rest of the sum on to ESP while also ensuring the sum included at least 9% profit[citation needed].
The provincial government and TransLink decided to wind up the program in 2014 and end it. This was due to the advent of cleaner vehicle and fuel technologies, which had made AirCare redundant.[1] Over the program's 22-year run, it claimed to have reduced vehicle emissions in its service area by 31%.[2]
References
External links
- AirCare home page
- Envirotest Canada home page
- ESP Global home page
- Vehicle Emissions Testing: AirCare, Drive Clean, and the Potential of Inspection and Maintenance Programs in Canada
- Checking up on smog-check: A Critique of Traditional Inspection and Maintenance Programs
- Toronto Star: Plug in to new hybrid concepts
- Who Killed the Electric Car?
- CalCars and Plug-In Hybrids in the News
- Alberta Vehicle Safety Inspection
