Vehicle emission testing could end in New Jersey

Say "bye-bye" to vehicle emission testing in the Garden State? A proposal by New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission says it will save the state $12 million by not requiring vehicle inspections every two years.

On April 25, 2010, a proposal to put an end to testing was discussed at an Assembly Budget Committee hearing.

Is waiting longer than two years for a vehicle inspection safe? Raymond Martinez, Motor Vehicle Commission chief administrator believes so. "Most people who have problems with their windshields or have problems with their brakes don't wait for the every two years." He believes that most people self-police their vehicles, in order to stay safe on the road.

New Jersey's transportation department is turning into a pay-as-you-go model, in order to save money in a cash-strapped department, in a cash-strapped state, according to a NJ.com article. Jim Simpson, a pilot, "We are … bringing an entrepreneurial approach to the department that questions the status quo and seeks cost savings," Simpson said. "Metrics are the key to running a large organization. If you’re not measuring, you’re not managing."

Louis D. Greenwald, Assembly Budget Committee chair points out that the "pay as you go" philosophy can very well lead to a crumbling infrastructure and tragedy, such as the Minnesota Bridge collapse that killed 13 people three years ago.

Click here for the lowdown.