CONCORD, Ont. — The new NSC11B periodic motor vehicle inspection (PMVI) standard, to be introduced by Ontario in 2015, will see trucks showing evidence of emissions system tampering failed.

The Ontario Trucking Association’s Rolf VanderZwaag made the announcement during a speech at the Canadian Fleet Maintenance Seminar tonight.

Trucks displaying an emissions system malfunction indicator light will pass, but the presence of the malfunction light will be indicated on the inspection report. The new standard will potentially sideline trucks that have had their emissions system – including SCR, EGR, DPF or catalytic converter – visibly tampered with.

So-called DPF Delete services promise to remove emissions systems, improving fuel economy and reliability. An investigation into the process conducted in March 2013 by Truck News revealed the procedure is widely available and quite popular in Canada.

While tampering with the emissions system will render trucks unroadworthy under the new NSC11B standard in 2015, the question will be asked, does the regulation have enough teeth to discourage tampering?

While Ontario has committed to the new requirements, other provinces still have the option to opt out. And the PMVI standard requires only a visual inspection of equipment, so it’s possible that tampering will go undetected during an annual inspection.

VanderZwaag told maintenance managers in attendance that Ontario will be adopting the new standard on Jan. 1, 2015, though early adoption is permitted. Final approvals of the new PMVI standard are underway and it will soon be published.

Changes from Reg. 611 to the NSC11B 2006 standard, adopted already by most other provinces but not Ontario, are drastic, but the changes from the 2006 standard to the 2015 version are subtle.

“We don’t expect an extension of the educational period going forward, it will come into place Jan. 1, 2015,” VanderZwaag warned. “So you better start thinking of how you’re going to implement it.”