An Environmental Analysis of Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Programs

Abstract

<i>Purpose:</i> The purpose of this project is to find out if vehicle inspection and maintenance programs have any impact on air pollution. <i>Method:</i> This project uses interrupted time series analysis with comparison group to test the environmental impact the vehicle inspection and maintenance program has on carbon monoxide and volatile organic compounds levels. Data on carbon monoxide and VOC levels are collected for two counties. One county has implemented an inspection and maintenance program with emissions testing and the other did not. The data is gathered before and after implementation of the program to determine its environmental impact. <i>Results:</i> The analysis showed that the implementation of the vehicle inspection and maintenance program did not have a significant impact on carbon monoxide or volatile organic compound levels. <i>Discussion:</i> Overall, the research indicates that the inspection and maintenance program did not have a significant impact on the reduction of carbon monoxide and VOC. However, the drastic decrease in voc levels can be attributed to an unrelated policy change. Although the inspection and maintenance program is not exclusively linked to motor vehicle emissions, it is still a useful tool in achieving a cleaner fleet.