The Metropolitan Transit System Settlement
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$47,750 in Fines Paid by The Metropolitan Transit System
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System paid $47,750 in penalties for violating air quality regulations; $35,812.50 went to the California Air Pollution Control Fund, $5,968.75 to the Peralta Community College District for distribution to participating California Council on Diesel Education and Technology (CCDET) colleges and $5,968.75 to the California Pollution Control Financing Authority to guarantee loans to off-road vehicle fleets that need to buy exhaust retrofits to comply with the in-use off-road diesel vehicle regulation. This settlement was reached in May 2009 and the case was closed in June 2009. An investigation by the Air Resources Board (ARB) showed that the Metropolitan Transit System failed to comply with the Fleet Rule for Transit Agencies –Transit Fleet Vehicle Requirements by exceeding the transit fleet NOx and Particulate Matter (PM) emissions total. In addition, the Metropolitan Transit System also failed to properly self-inspect the portion of their diesel powered vehicle fleet that falls under the Periodic Smoke Inspection Program (PSIP). Veolia Transportation Services, Inc., First Transit and McDonald Transit Associates, Inc. were the contractors responsible for the maintenance and the compliance with the PSIP for the majority of the Metropolitan Transit System fleet in violation of the PSIP. The contractors paid the penalties for the PSIP violations for which they were responsible. To settle the case, the Metropolitan Transit System agreed to the $47,750 penalty and to comply with the Fleet Rule for Transit Agencies –Transit Fleet Vehicle Requirements and the PSIP.