Government vehicles hit and miss Drive Clean

Despite having perpetual plates that never need renewal, Ontario’s estimated 20,000 public service vehicles must still undergo Drive Clean.

Yet, our spot check of emissions test records couldn’t find a single vehicle with consistent compliance.

In fact, none of the 1988-2013 vehicles we examined had more than two emissions tests in its history. Records were checked from registration through to date of disposal from the government fleet in June or July 2015.

In a survey of 50 Ontario government vehicles, 13 were too new to require emissions tests and six were outside Drive Clean coverage area.

A1999 International heavy truck had on file only a single 2005 emissions test for registration transfer, presumably to another ministry. Heavy-duty vehicles province-wide are required to be emissions tested annually. Of the remaining 30 lightduty vehicles with GTA registry that were apparently emissions-test eligible (according to Carfax):

Thirteen had no emissions tests on file. While registered at a GTA licence office, it’s possible the registrant’s address was outside the GTA and the Drive Clean coverage area. Giving every benefit of the doubt, this may explain why these vehicles were never tested, although some also had GTA repair history on file.

Six were currently in compliance; five being 2007 and 2008 models with their first emissions test recently and the other a 2000 Ford Ranger with GTA registry since 2004, but no emissions test until 2015.

Eight had a single outdated emissions test only; just two of which had been timed properly to satisfy emissions test rules at the time.

Three vehicles each had two tests in consecutive years (2010, 2011).

We asked Drive Clean to review our findings.

“The province takes its responsibility to comply with Drive Clean seriously,” said Kate Jordan, Drive Clean media liaison.

Although not required to have annual plate renewals, the ministry expects government vehicles to be tested at the same frequency as private motor vehicles, she stressed.

Checking selected vehicles from each major sample group, Drive Clean verified that our exclusions were correct. It was suggested that vehicles, including the 1999 heavy truck missing annual emissions tests, may have had emissions tests not indicated in their maintenance history.

But this seems improbable, given that Drive Clean results are automatically uploaded to the central database upon completion of each test.

Incidentally, all 24 emissions tests conducted on the 50 vehicles in the group resulted in a pass, making the entire costly exercise moot. Six emissions tests seemed completely unnecessary, including one in the same year of purchase, new. Email your non-mechanical questions to Eric Lai at wheels@thestar.ca. Due to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided. Freelance writer Eric Lai’s Auto Know column appears each Saturday in Toronto Star Wheels.