Evaluating Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs

Emissions inspection and maintenance (I/M) programs subject vehicles to periodic inspections of their emission control systems. Despite widespread use of these programs in air-quality management, policy makers and the public have found a number of problems associated with them. Prominent among these issues is the perception that emissions benefits and other impacts of I/M programs have not been evaluated adequately. Evaluating Vehicle Emissions Inspection and Maintenance Programs assesses the effectiveness of these programs for reducing mobile source emissions. In this report, the committee evaluates the differences in the characteristics of motor vehicle emissions in areas with and without I/M programs, identifies criteria and methodologies for their evaluation, and recommends improvements to the programs. Most useful of all, this book will help summarize the observed benefits of these programs and how they can be redirected in the future to increase their effectiveness.Table of ContentsFront MatterSummary1 Motor Vehicle Emissions and Regulation2 Vehicle Emissions-Control Technologies3 Vehicle Inspection and Maintenance Programs4 Emerging Emissions Testing Technologies5 Estimating Inspection and Maintenance Emissions Reductions Using the Mobile Model6 Evaluating Inspection and Maintenance Programs: Methods for Estimating Emissions Reductions7 Evaluating Inspection and Maintenance Costs and Other CriteriaReferencesGlossaryAppendix A: Biographical Information on the Committee on Vehicle Emission Inspection and Maintenance ProgramsAppendix B: Abbreviations and Names Used for Classifying Organic CompoundsAppendix C: Some Statistical Issues in Inspection and Maintenance Evaluations