New Color 2-Year Inspection Stickers To Be Issued
The Division of Motor Vehicles will revise the color of its two-year inspection stickers beginning on July 1, when a new biennial inspection program begins statewide, officials announced today.
The issuance of a distinctive color for the two-year sticker is designed to aid police officers in identifying vehicles which have passed the new inspection program. Some motorists who have taken a voluntary enhanced emissions test available since November 1997 have mistakenly been stopped by police because the green two-year sticker resembles the annual green windshield sticker that was valid through December 1997.
AWe’re trying to encourage people to participate in the voluntary enhanced emissions inspection program,@ Transportation Commissioner John J. Haley Jr. noted. ADespite our issuing advisories about these two-year stickers being in circulation, we’re hearing that some of these motorists are being stopped. Inconveniencing even one motorist is unacceptable and hurts our efforts to spur participation.
AToday I’ve directed the DMV to develop a new distinctive sticker for two-year inspections,@ Haley added. AMoreover, we will also notify police in advance that these new stickers will be coming into use through contact with their professional organizations. We need to do more than we’ve done to ensure these errant vehicle stops come to an end.@
The new two-year sticker color will be selected this week and will be issued starting on July 1. A mechanism for exchanging the green two-year stickers already issued with the new style stickers is being developed.
On July 1, DMV will implement a two-year inspection cycle. This is being done to avoid long lines as the facilities are converted to perform the tougher enhanced emissions test required by the federal Clean Air Act. During the conversion process, two-year stickers will be issued for either the existing emissions test or the enhanced emissions test. The conversion process is scheduled for completion by the end of 1999, when the enhanced emissions test becomes mandatory.
Currently, motorists may volunteer to take the enhanced emissions test at either the Wayne or Bakers Basin inspection stations. Approximately 7,100 vehicles have passed the test as of mid-March and were issued green two-year stickers.
The green two-year stickers, which bear a Year 2000 expiration date, have caused confusion because of their resemblance to the green stickers which expired at the end of 1997.
Annual inspection stickers vary in color each year, with green, blue and yellow the colors used.
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