Vehicle Inspection

1
Vehicle Inspection Maintenance in Asia
Cornie Huizenga Clean Air
Initiative for Asian Cities
15 September 2006 Islamabad, Pakistan
Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia A CAI-Asia
Program
2
Vehicle Growth in Asian Countries(in Millions
of Vehicles)
China, P.R.
India
Thailand
Indonesia
Note Vehicle Population Projection from Segment
Y Ltd
3
2- and 3-wheelers in Asia

• Increasing use of motorcycles India, China and
  Thailand
• 2005 100 million
• 2008 140 million
• 2015 250 million
• When will the tipping point be reached after
  which more people switch to cars China 2025?
• Motorcycles now breaking into new markets e.g.
  Philippines
• 2-3 wheelers play an important role in transit in
  Asia, e.g.
• Tricycles in Philippines
• Rickshaws in South Asia
• Tuk-tuk in Thailand

Note The forecasts used were developed by
Segment Y Ltd
4
Comprehensive Approach to Reducing Vehicle
Emissions
Air Pollution
Vehicle Emission Standards
Fuel Specifications
Inspection Maintenance
Transport Planning Management
5
Emission Standards (1)

• Tightening of emission standards for new vehicles
  is the best way to reduce mobile source pollution
• IM programs need to be linked to in-use emission
  standards these in-use standards need to be
  linked to the type approval standards for new
  vehicles
• Most Asian countries follow ECE (Euro) standards,
  but adopting them at different speeds
• Little regional discussion on harmonization of
  standards
• New cars sold in Asia today are potentially
  cleaner than standards require in many Asian
  countries but poor fuel quality makes it
  difficult to realize reductions in emissions

6
Emission Standards (2)

• Motorcycle standards are very important, and in
  several countries Asia is ahead of Europe and USA
• No proper link between in-use and new vehicle
  emission standards
• - Difficulties with second hand imports
• In-use standards will become increasingly
  differentiated
• If in-use standards are too strict emerging IM
  systems will face problems

7
Institutionalizing Vehicle Emissions
Standards (new light duty vehicles)
Source CAI-Asia, 2006
8
Status of a few IM Facilities in Asia

• Hong Kong centralized system works
• Singapore centralized system works
• Bangkok, Thailand centralized IM facility is
  underutilized, laboratory under lock and key
• PRC centralized system in key cities
• India centralized facility in Delhi not used?,
  PUC certificate system did not work for a long
  time, improved system
• Philippines centralized system, emissions
  testing only
• Dhaka, Bangladesh centralized IM facilities is
  remaining idle for several years now
• Sri Lanka government about to sign deal with ESP

9
Components of a Successful IM Program
Centralized Testing
Appropriate Test Procedures
Public Awareness
Good Quality IM
Strong Enforcement
Appropriate Standards and Norms
Inspector Training
Privatized with appropriate test fees
Government Oversight and Auditing
10
Institutional Arrangements

• Centralized system whereby inspection is separate
  from maintenance operates best
• - yet several Asian countries ignore these
  lessons of experience and go for decentralized or
  hybrid systems
• Private sector is best qualified to implement IM
  systems regulated by government
• Success of IM in Asia will depend on support of
  senior decision makers and institutional capacity
  to manage and regulate the system
• IM works best if linked to the annual
  registration of vehicles
• Mixed responsibilities for IM often results in
  problems between departments of environment,
  transport and police

11
Contracting Issues

• Quality engage reputable companies
• Single vs. multiple contractors
• Minimum contract length (7 to 10 yrs)
• Setting and adjusting prices
• Promoting competition at re-bid
• - Ownership of land, facilities and software
• Risk management
• - Revenue adjustment provisions

12
Government Coordination and Management

• Vertical coordination (national, state, local)
• Horizontal coordination (environment, transport
  or police agency)
• Key Issue integration with road worthiness
  inspections

13
Technical Issues

• Fleet characterization
• Test procedures
• Emission standards
• Frequency of inspection
• Trend towards loaded test to measure compliance
  with tighter standards
• - this will require major overhaul of many
  existing IM stations
• Technical quality of IM systems run by
  government is often weak

14
Quality Assurance and Audit

• To control corruption, a well established QA and
  audit mechanism is essential
• Computerized systems are essential
• Governments often lack the capacity to regulate
  and to carry out QA efficiently
• QA and audit is best undertaken by independent
  groups
• Often there are no effective procedures against
  corrupt inspectors

15
Enforcement and Compliance Promotion

• Link to periodic vehicle registration
• - Need to enforce vehicle registration
  requirement
• Linkage to insurance coverage
• Need for complementary public awareness campaigns
• Differing views on roadside inspections

16
Managing Resources

• Financial resources setting fees and recovering
  costs
• Management and technical resources ensuring
  adequate capacity
• Political resources ensuring popular support

17
Setting Fees and Recovering Costs

• Fees should be set to recover all costs
• - to include costs of govt oversight and quality
  assurance
• If necessary fees could be augmented by
  earmarking charges on fuels or vehicles
• Essential that concession period be of sufficient
  length to recover costs at lowest possible charges

18
Public Participation

• Public perception on effectiveness and
  transparency of IM will determine the
  willingness to cooperate in the IM system
• Few countries in Asia have effective, sustained
  awareness raising campaigns focusing on IM
• Performance standards are required for IM
  stations that guarantee fast and reliable tests
• Transparency is important produce an annual
  report, make it available to the public

19
The Importance of M in IM

• It is the M that actually reduces pollution not
  the I, yet in most Asian countries few efforts
  are made to improve the quality of maintenance
• M industry needs to be an active partner in
  discussions on emission standards
• Referee stations are required to offer a second
  opinion to vehicle owners

20
Roadside Testing

• Roadside testing can complement IM but not
  replace it
• Roadside testing is needed to keep the public
  focused on the issue of vehicle pollution
• Roadside testing should focus on gross polluting
  vehicles
• Roadside testing is difficult to oversee and more
  open to corruption

21
Cost Effectiveness and Impact

• More stringent emission standards are more
  effective in the long term, IM can have a short
  term impact
• Although IM is increasingly used as an
  instrument to reduce pollution, no efforts are
  made to quantify the environmental impact
• Little is known about actual cost-effectiveness
  of IM systems in Asia