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PURPOSE: The main purpose of this program
is to improve the quality of the air in Ontario.
When? The program started to be
applied on April 1st. 1999. Full implementation of first stage was
completed
January 2001
Where? Initially on the Grater Toronto Area
(City of Toronto and the Regions of Halton,
Peel, Durham and York) and in the Hamilton-Wentworth
Region. In 2001, the program area for passenger cars and light-duty
trucks will expand to 13 urban areas and commuter zones in southern Ontario between Peterborough
and
Windsor.
Which vehicles are required to pass the test?
All
passenger cars or light-duty trucks (vehicles weighing 4500kg or less)
in
the Drive Clean program
area, will have to pass a Drive Clean test every two years
prior to renewing the
sticker on the licence plate.
The test
applies to vehicles that are more than three years old (beginning January
1, 2006 the rule applies to vehicles older than 5 years) and less than 20
years old (based on the model year of the
vehicle, no the year it was purchased). You will be notified on the
application for renewal sent about 8 weeks before the deadline for renewing
your vehicle licence plate.
The
transfer of these vehicles also require the test depending on the year
model.
If the
transfer of the vehicle requires the safety Standard Certificate, it will
also
require the
Drive clean test.
The
following model years must be tested for renewal or transfer in 2005
2002,2000,1998,1996,1994,1992,1990,1988,1986
The
following model years must be tested in 2006
2001,1999,1997,1995,1993,1991,1989,1987,1985
Testing
at registration will alternate between odd-year models and even-year
models.
For example, in 2005, even
model-year vehicles will be tested. In 2006, odd model-year
vehicles will be tested.
Vehicles
of the year model 1981 or older, light-duty commercial farm vehicles
and motorcycles are
exempt.
Who is affected and when?
- The program applies to
owners of passenger and light-duty vehicles in the Greater
Toronto
Area Enforcement of the emissions tests through vehicle registration
and
ownership transfers began
April 1, 1999.
- Ontario plans to require
every heavy-duty truck and bus in the province to pass an
annual Drive Clean emissions test starting the summer 1999. To
complement the annual
testing, Ontario's Smog
Patrol will be conducting random roadside testing of suspected
polluting vehicles. Any
vehicle in Ontario with excessive, visible emissions could
receive tickets.
Where can I get my vehicle tested?
- You can take your vehicle
to an accredited Drive Clean test-only facility, or to an
accredited test and repair shop. The Ministry of the Environment
will accredit all Drive Clean
facilities. Staff at these
facilities will be trained and approved as qualified to operate the
testing equipment and
perform emission diagnostics and repairs. All Drive Clean
facilities will be
strictly monitored to ensure proper testing and repair procedures are
being followed.
How
is the Drive Clean test done?
- At an accredited Drive
Clean facility, an approved inspector will drive your car or
light-duty
truck onto a "dynamometer". This machine is like a treadmill that allows the
vehicle to be
"driven" on one spot at different speeds..
- A probe is placed in
the tailpipe of your vehicle. The probe is connected to a gas
analyzer and computer, which can measure the concentration of
nitrogen oxides and
hydrocarbons (including
volatile organic compounds)..and carbon monoxide.
When the inspector
accelerates your vehicle to a steady speed of 40 km per hour; an
emissions reading is
recorded. Several of these five-second readings are taken and
then averaged by the
computer.
- The test results will be
compared by a Drive Clean computer to emission standards
for the vehicle and its model year. For example, if you
drive a 1986 model car, it will be
tested against 1986
emission standards with an allowance for vehicle deterioration.
- If your vehicle has
a safety problem, or releases visible smoke from the tailpipe
it will
not be tested until it
has been repaired. Such problems could lead to injury, and/or
malfunctioning
of the test equipment.
What happens after my Drive Clean
test?
o
You will receive a computer-generated report at the Drive
Clean facility. It will state if
your vehicle emissions "pass or fail" and give you an
analysis of the pollutants coming
from the tailpipe. If you
fail, you will receive a fact sheet describing some of the
possible causes of
failure. Vehicles failing must be repaired and retested until a pass
certificate is obtained.
along with the other documents needed to renew your licence
plate sticker or to
transfer ownership. The
Drive Clean test results for your vehicle will be valid for ownership
transfers and
registration renewals for
up to one year from the date of the test.
What will a Drive Clean test cost
me in time and money?
- A typical Drive Clean test
should take no more than 20 minutes to do.
o
The test will cost you no more than $35 (plus applicable taxes).
Some Drive Clean facilities may
charge less. If your vehicle fails its initial test and needs
repairs, the
cost for retesting will
be no
more than $17.50 (plus
applicable taxes), provided the retest is done at the same facility.
What if my vehicle fails the test?
- If your vehicle fails its
initial test, you will need to make the necessary repairs in order to
pass a retest.
In
many cases, a simple tune-up will suffice.
- You will receive a report
indicating your vehicle's emission results from the test, as
well as information on the most common reasons for failing
the test.
- You are free to do the
repairs yourself, go to any local garage, or go to a garage that
is an accredited Drive Clean repair facility.
You will only have to make $450
worth of repairs if your vehicle fails its initial Drive
Clean test and you must follow
this procedure:
- If you fail your first
test, you must make the emissions-related repairs. You then bring
your vehicle back to a Drive Clean facility for a retest.
Should your vehicle fail again,
you will be given a
conditional pass certificate provided you have a receipt from an
accredited Drive Clean
repair facility proving at least $450 worth of emission-related
repairs have been done. You bring this
conditional pass certificate to a vehicle licence
office to obtain your
registration renewal.
- This one-time repair cost
limit does not apply to subsequent Drive Clean tests at
registration
renewal (two years later), or when transferring ownership. It also does not
apply to repairs covered
by the manufacturer's warranty, or to repairs made if there are
still visible smoke
emissions from the tailpipe.
What if I disagree with the test
results or repairs?
- If you disagree with the
results of the test or the repairs, you will be able to call the
Drive
Clean customer service centre to get information that may resolve any
concerns.
If a dispute cannot be
settled, you and the other party may be referred to an independent
dispute resolution
process.
Where
to get more information:
Drive
Clean Information Centre: 1 888 758 2999
Website: Driveclean in the web.
Drive Clean for heavy-duty trucks and buses.
- The Ontario government plans to
require all Ontario-registered trucks and buses
weighing more than 4,500 kilograms to pass a Drive Clean test
each year. Ontario and
out-of-province trucks
will also be subject to random, on-road spot checks.
- The exhaust from
heavy-duty vehicles will be tested for opacity. This is a
measurement
of the amount of light that passes through exhaust smoke. The
"dirtier"
the smoke, the higher the
opacity rating.
-
The opacity reading
is a way to measure the amount of microscopic dust-like particles
emitted
by the vehicle. These particles can irritate the lungs and the respiratory
system.
Recent studies also
indicate that they may cause cancer. Heavy-duty trucks and buses
are a primary source of
these micro-particles.
Drive Clean will make a difference
- When fully implemented,
Ontario's Drive Clean program will cut smog-causing
pollutants
by up to 22 percent In the program area.
- Ontario's Drive Clean
program is concerned with helping us make smart choices
about
the way we maintain and drive our vehicles. Driving clean can save
you up to 10
percent in
annual fuel consumption and prolong the life of your vehicle. But more
importantly,
you will be doing the right thing for the air we breathe.
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