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Fixing polluting vehicles is a win-win
The Bakersfield Californian
Monday, Jun 08 2009
The Tune In and Tune Up program operated by the nonprofit organization Valley Clean Air Now does a lot more for Kern County and the San Joaquin Valley than just fixing polluting vehicles. The program also contributes significantly to the region's economy.
As the owner of Rosedale Automotive in Bakersfield, I have worked with Valley CAN since 2008 to help implement Tune In and Tune Up in our area. The program provides free on-site emissions testing and repair vouchers worth up to $500 for drivers of high-emitting vehicles. This has been shown to be the most cost-effective method ever tried in California to reduce vehicle emissions.
This successful program is dedicated to making significant improvements in the valley's severe air pollution problem by reducing tailpipe emissions from older, out-of-tune vehicles.
One of the additional benefits is that Tune In and Tune Up gives an economic shot in the arm to every community when events are conducted. Since 2006, Valley CAN has spent over $600,000 in nine valley cities repairing high emitting vehicles. Many of those who receive the repair vouchers live on modest incomes and thus have been affected by the economic downturn. If not for this program, they often could not afford to make these important repairs but would continue to run their heavily emitting vehicles.
Every time an event is conducted, there is more than the direct benefit of the free smog repairs. There is also an economic ripple effect in the community when as many as 500 people bring their vehicles for testing in a single day, like they did recently in Bakersfield. Surrounding businesses, like mini-markets, gas stations and restaurants around the event location benefit from the crowds that come to the event.
The most recent Tune and Tune Up at Bakersfield College, on March 28, helped 500 participants from Bakersfield, Arvin and surrounding communities. Tune In and Tune Up events often brings in about 350 vehicles for emissions testing, but the growing concern for the air pollution and the widespread success of this program encouraged Valley CAN to test more vehicles at the Bakersfield event.
Valley CAN, through the Advanced Transportation Technologies and Energy Initiative at Fresno City College, provides each participating community college that hosts a Tune In and Tune Up event with an $8,000 grant to purchase emissions testing equipment for their automotive programs. Most state-funded colleges are on tight budgets, so this type of donation is invaluable to pay for educational tools.
By repairing high-polluting vehicles, we can begin getting a real handle on reducing our emissions problems and improving the quality of life in Kern County. A typical Tune In and Tune Up event removes approximately 3,000 tons of carbon monoxide, 300 tons of hydrocarbons and 150 tons of oxides of nitrogen from the air in one year. This also has long-term economic value by making our region more attractive to new business and new residents that add to the vitality of our communities.
Bruce Sherley has owned Rosedale Automotive, a Gold Shield Certified Smog Shop in Bakersfield for nine years and has been in the automotive business for over 30 years.
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