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Clean Cars Program

Picture of a car on a lift.From the Denver Regional Air Quality Council.

When they learn how important repair and maintenance is, many people take action voluntarily.

Ingredients:

A relatively small percentage of the vehicles on the road account for the majority of emissions. This voluntary program of repair and retirement targets those high-emitting vehicles. Eligible vehicles are identified by being on the state's inspection and maintenance" waiver list" of vehicles that didn't pass the emissions test but are allowed to stay on the road because repairs are estimated to be above a certain ceiling. You can also identify vehicles by using roadside sensing and a "smoking vehicle hotline" through which citizens can report vehicles emitting visible smoke.

Owners of the vehicles are solicited by mail to participate in either the repair or retirement aspect of the program. Owners are invited to repair their vehicles and receive a cash incentive (in Denver it was $500) toward the cost of repairs. If the costs exceed that amount, the owner pays the overage. Or, owners can pocket the larger cash incentive (in Denver it was $1000) to scrap the vehicle. Ask your industry partners (like a local refinery or large chain of gas stations) to fund the cash incentives.

Utensils:

Servings:

A six-month program in a city of a million people could result in 200 to 300 vehicles retired. This translates to approximately 250 tons of carbon dioxide reductions and approximately 50 tons of VOC reductions.

Hints from the Chef:

Explanation and publicity of how high-emitting vehicles play a disproportionately large role in your city's air pollution is critical at the start of the program. Creating a "smoking vehicle hotline" -- even if it gets used infrequently -- gives owners of these vehicles further reason to do the right thing. The cash incentives are crucial too; the larger they are, the more successful you'll be.

Clean Car Case Study

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