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State Crews Perform Roadside Emissions Checks

Photo Courtesy of: Breeanna Jent

A crew from the Bureau of Automotive Repair tested random cars for emissions on the afternoon of July 24.

Photo Courtesy of: Breeanna Jent

Vehicles were chosen at random by a California Highway Patrol officer and then guided to the right side of the road. All emissions checks were voluntary.

Photo Courtesy of: Breeanna Jent

Cars line up on Barton Road in the voluntary emissions checks. Drivers who opted out were on their way.

By Breeanna Jent, Staff Writer
July 31, 2013 at 03:44pm. Views: 79

Workers from the California Department of Consumer Affairs’ Bureau of Automotive Repair performed emissions checks last Wednesday, July 24, on Barton Road just across from City Hall. The free checks are part of a statewide survey aimed at providing extra protection for residents, according to Don Dowdy, program representative. “This is consumer protection,” he stated on site last week. “We’re here to help people out on the road; we’re letting them know if their cars are likely to pass smog.” Dowdy and his team of two were out performing the checks throughout the day, from 8 a.m. into the mid-afternoon. The area was blocked off by orange traffic cones, and cars were selected at random by a California Highway Patrol Officer. The emissions tests are voluntary, Dowdy shared. Drivers were asked by the crew if they would like to spend a few minutes—less than 10 for the test to run, said Dowdy—getting their vehicles tested. Drivers who agreed were then chosen again at random by a computer program, which ran a database of various cars and picked and chose potential test vehicles based on the amount of data gathered about a particular vehicle make and model, said Dowdy. The tests only measured emissions coming from the tailpipes—no full smog test was done, he noted. “This is not a smog test. We’re not popping the hoods and going into the car. We’re just testing the emissions coming out of the tailpipes, and we’re letting people know the status of their car.” Crews also answered questions drivers had regarding the smog process, Dowdy shared. Printed summaries of their tests were given to each participating driver following the tests, and drivers were also given information on how they could qualify for state funds: drivers could qualify for $500 for emissions repairs or $1,500 for retiring their vehicles. “When a vehicle is retired, not one piece of it goes back on the road,” said Dowdy. “Every part is recycled.” Information gathered at the checks was also entered into the computer system, helping generate statistics for the state. The previous Monday, crews from the Bureau of Automotive Repair were also out testing cars in Redlands on Barton Road near Terracina Boulevard.

Athlete Highlight: Brooke Hazen

Photo Courtesy of: TME Photography by Titan Mom Elvira

By Titan Mom Elvira, Community Writer

July 29, 2026 at 11:30am. Views: 913

Freshman Varsity cheerleader Brooke Hazen stands at midfield of Grand Terrace High School's football field, where she looks forward to helping energize the crowd and build school spirit throughout the Titans' football season.

Decades of Precision: Victor Covarrubias Brings Experience and Personal Care to 20/20 Vision

Photo Courtesy of: Margie Miller

By Margie Miller, Community Writer

August 19, 2026 at 08:12am. Views: 570

Victor Covarrubias, an experienced optical technician at 20/20 Vision Associates Optometry, began his career in the optical industry in 1998.