RapidScreen emissions pass? (Craig, Center: high school, contractor, pollution)

[Therblig]

So this year I got ahead of the curve and made an effort to drive past several roadside RapidScreen sites, so as to be able to avoid getting a drive-in emissions check. I kept getting caught by the requirement to have them before the end of the second prior month — in my case, with a late December registration, by the end of October.

So in September and October I looked up the mobile sites and made a point to drive by them (even when it meant an unnecessary toll on E470, since most in my area are on the toll onramps). I hit six of them over time, in good weather, driving slowly, etc.

And here's my registration card: EMISSIONS CHECK REQUIRED.

So, two questions: does anyone get a clearance from RapidScreen? Without driving by one many times over the prior year? (I don't have a regular commute, but I'm sure some folks pass one two or three times a month.)

And is there any accountability for this program? Somewhere I can go enter my vehicle info and be told how many times I was spotted, and whether I passed or not?

Or is the whole thing just a bit of a kabuki play, done for show with no real benefit to drivers?

[suzco]

In all the years that the rapidscreen program has existed, I've never gotten a clearance from it, despite driving past some screening locations frequently and regularly.

[Therblig]

My feeling is that it's not (quite) what we're told, but more like the system California implemented a decade or so back. They reduced regular smog testing, in part, with a system that continually screens traffic and flags egregious polluters for contact and followup. It works/ed pretty well from what I saw, and took the load off of thousands of owners whose cars remained within emission tolerance.

That is: I would not be surprised if the program is really to spot excess polluters, but is masked under the tepid "identifying clean vehicles" label to reduce evasion and protest.

So, fact check time: has anyone gotten a notice of having an egregiously polluting vehicle from "outta the blue"?

[otowi]

I didn't even know emissions tests were coming back. We have to get them again?

[Therblig]

Originally Posted by otowi

I didn't even know emissions tests were coming back. We have to get them again?

Like most states, it's only vehicles of a certain age. Five years from new, I think, and then biannually.

[suzco]

Originally Posted by otowi

I didn't even know emissions tests were coming back. We have to get them again?

The 6 denver metro counties never eliminated emissions tests (required every 2 years) - for vehicles over 7 years old, like my ancient subaru.

[reed303]

Originally Posted by Therblig

So this year I got ahead of the curve and made an effort to drive past several roadside RapidScreen sites, so as to be able to avoid getting a drive-in emissions check. I kept getting caught by the requirement to have them before the end of the second prior month — in my case, with a late December registration, by the end of October.

So in September and October I looked up the mobile sites and made a point to drive by them (even when it meant an unnecessary toll on E470, since most in my area are on the toll onramps). I hit six of them over time, in good weather, driving slowly, etc.

And here's my registration card: EMISSIONS CHECK REQUIRED.

So, two questions: does anyone get a clearance from RapidScreen? Without driving by one many times over the prior year? (I don't have a regular commute, but I'm sure some folks pass one two or three times a month.)

And is there any accountability for this program? Somewhere I can go enter my vehicle info and be told how many times I was spotted, and whether I passed or not?

Or is the whole thing just a bit of a kabuki play, done for show with no real benefit to drivers?

AirCareColorado does have a link where you can see past Test Center results at
https://aircarecolorado.com/index.php?cID=334
but it also says:
"RapidScreen results are currently not available online. "

[BarryK123]

Rapid Screen never worked for me either. A waste of time going out of your way to pass one (and add more pollution into the air in the process by driving longer).

[Therblig]

Well, this just gets more and more interesting.

I thought I'd look for myself to see if any info on RapidScreen programs and results was available. And maybe ask a question or two.

Have ya visited the AirCare.com website? It looks like a high school project. Other than pages on where to be tested and a simple FAQ about testing, it's essentially content-free. No contact info other than a phone number. The About page is a very old-school jumble of fun links for your kids, including West Coast museums. (No, I'm not kidding.) It looks like the crap a small business with no real interest in its web presence puts up by hiring someone on Craigslist to do it.

But this is a nominally state department with a critical hold on issues of importance to every driver in the state.

It's almost like... they're hiding something. Like a deceptive purpose, or a crappy outsourced program, or a private-contractor program that doesn't wanna/have-ta share its operating information.

Colorado is such a funny old state.

[davebarnes]

Originally Posted by Therblig

a private-contractor program that doesn't wanna/have-ta share its operating information.

Bingo.