The new NSC11B periodic motor vehicle inspection (PMVI) standard set to go into effect in January 2015 will require inspectors to document the presence of an emissions system malfunction indicator light. What’s more, they’ll also be required to fail trucks showing signs of emissions system tampering.

Rolf VanderZwaag revealed new details about the impending standard during his keynote address at the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar June 18. Ontario has already committed to the new standard, but Rolf acknowledged other provinces could still opt out. Also, since a visual inspection is all that’s required, one could argue that the new inspection requirement will do little to detect or discourage tampering, since an empty DPF canister could appear at a glance to be compliant. (An emissions systems malfunction light will not result in a fail).

Still, it’s an interesting development, and owner/ops (or carriers, for that matter) who have completely removed diesel particulate filters or blatantly messed with their emissions systems in other obvious ways may be left scrambling. Imagine paying thousands of dollars to have the emissions system removed or tampered with and then having to pay another few grand to get the truck put back into compliance so that you can pass the PMVI. Go here for more details about the new PMVI standard.