Emissions Testing Arrives for Chicago-Area Trucks

Gov. George Ryan signed laws that force Chicago-area trucks to undergo annual emissions tests and give trucks greater leeway on portable scales.

The state legislature approved a measure requiring trucks more than two years old, weighing more than 16,000 pounds that are registered in Chicago or East St. Louis to have annual emissions tests in May despite fierce opposition from the Illinois Transportation Association (5-24, p. 3).

The group said most newer trucks run so clean it is ridiculous to require annual tests. ITA was also concerned that the engines of some trucks below 26,000 pounds that lacked governors would “blow up” under the testing procedure.

The smoke-testing requirements go into effect once the state environmental and transportation departments finalize the rules, but Fred Serpe, executive director of the ITA, vowed to delay implementation of the program with legal challenges.

Serpe was less hostile to a bill signed by Ryan that increases the tolerance on the state’s portable scales from 1,000 to 2,000 pounds.

“We’re very pleased with the law because the industry was getting hammered with small overweight fines because so many towns and municipalities were getting into the scales business,” said Serpe.

Trucks with a registered gross vehicle weight of 73,281 pounds or more can now exceed legal weight limits by up to 2,000 pounds. As with the current 1,000 pound tolerance, the owner must remove the excess 2,000 pounds or shift the weight to avoid a ticket.

State agencies operating portable scales will be required to test their accuracy regularly and train all employees using the scales within the next 18 months.