VANCOUVER, (Dec. 6, 2004) — Almost half of transport trucks inspected by Vancouver’s AirCare On-Road (ACOR) emission-testing program this year have failed, says the provincial agency responsible for the Greater Vancouver Regional District’s (GVRD) public transit system and major roads. But the heavy-duty emissions control program still lacks the legislation to levy fines or enforce compliance.

ACOR — which in its initial form tested commercial trucks at weigh-scale stations — began in 1996 with a three-year voluntary phase, followed by a mandatory phase from 1999 until 2002. Funding was then suspended after a review of ICBC.

When the insurance corporation dropped the program, it was offered to TransLink, which restarted ACOR this spring for the GVRD and Fraser Valley Regional District.

Currently, only vehicles that appear to be emitting excess emissions are inspected by mobile, on-road ACOR staff. Inspectors conduct a test by placing a sampling probe in the exhaust stack of the vehicle.

But because there’s no legislation empowering inspectors to levy penalties for non-compliance, only repairs are recommended. In order to move from voluntary compliance to a system that features fines, legislative approval from Victoria is required.

The B.C. Mission City Record reports that the transportation ministry says the government is looking at passing the necessary legislation, but there is no guarantee it will be put through in the spring legislative session.

Since the program began, 210 vehicles have been inspected and 100 have failed the emission test, the Mission City Record reports.

— from the B.C. Mission City Record