Stan,

The news the past couple of nights has been full of this for the Houston area
as well.  Down here the tests will be done at privately owned facilities --
they're having a little trouble finding facilities to pony up the extra $41K
for the new dyno machines (many are still paying for the 'old' machine).  The
state wants to have a thousand test stations down here but has managed to
locate on 500 so far.  The local news also reported the cost for the new
tests will be $39.

Ohio went to a similar test a few years ago.  These were done at contract
facilities and were a great source of amusment.  I watched the highly trained
technician park the front wheels of my van on the rollers after he had done
the underbody check with the mirror!  He got the most surprised look on his
face when the van lurched forward as he reved the engine.  One of the
stations managed to launch a newer Mustang out the back door, through some
bushes, down a hill and into a pond without realizing where it went!

I was happy to leave those inspections behind when I moved down here.  Looks
like I didn't move far enough.

Chuck
'85 Wolfsburg Westy - 'Roland the Road Buffalo'

In a message dated 3/20/2002 8:23:19 AM Central Standard Time,
LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:

> Date:    Wed, 20 Mar 2002 08:23:25 -0600
> From:    Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
> Subject: State Inspection
>
> Recently the State of Texas, in an effort to please the EPA, has mandated
> intensive vehicle inspections for the Counties of Dallas, Denton, Tarrant
> (fort Worth) and Collin counties.
> From what I've seen on TV the inspection involves a wheel dyno, four lost
> looking State Employees, $32.50 and guaranteed no waiting in long lines.
> The last time Texas did this it turned and bit them. Only about 1 in 8
> brand new cars could pass the inspection (blamed on defective software).
> They took a 700 million burn on liquidating locations and equipment.
> To enhance the confusion they start this procedure on May 1st. (We got
> notified on March 18th)
> Looks like they could have given us warning, like when they started
> building the inspection centers a year or so ago.
> So far they haven't told anybody in the driving public what the
> inspection consist of and have offered no web site referrals to
> investigate the requirements to pass testing.
> I'd estimate that 60% of vehicles in Texas are SUV's, MPVs, Pickup
> Trucks, 33% Passenger Cars, 7% Other (1 ton and over trucks, busses,
> motor homes are excluded) they failed to install the equipment to test
> larger vehicles.
> Texas is really great place to live; 10% of residents are either on
> probation or parole, the Texas Prison system is the States largest
> employer, we have more people in prison in Texas than the nation of
> Russia.
> The Dallas Independent School district claims that 40% of the population
> in Dallas is Hispanic while the US Census bureau claims 22% are Hispanic.
> We have the highest quality Bureaucrats available anywhere in the world.
> My Westy is registered at my farm that does not fall into the intensive
> inspection area but I'm sure going to have fun watching all of the Note
> Lot Car Dealers meeting these requirements. Graft is going to be abundant
> at these inspection stations.
>
> Stan Wilder
>