Current Inspectors This list shows all inspectors currently entered into the Inspector Information Table(s) on each Emissions Inspection System being used to perform Smog Check inspections at a station. Stations should be sure to remove former employees from their EIS’ Inspector Information Table(s) to ensure that inspectors with low FPR scores do not affect the station’s STAR certification. Similarly, to guard the integrity of their data, inspectors should make sure that they have been removed from an EIS’ Inspector Information Table(s) if they are no longer employed at a station. | |
Current Station Status Under the new STAR Program, each Smog Check station that intends to inspect directed vehicles must apply to BAR to determine whether the station meets the STAR performance measures. If it is determined that the station meets the standard for each performance measure, BAR will issue a certification to the station making it eligible to inspect directed vehicles. Applications for the STAR Program will be accepted beginning July 1, 2012 and the program will begin January 1, 2013. Stations that apply but do not meet all of the standards for the STAR Program, or stations that have their STAR certification invalidated for not meeting any of the performance standards, are not eligible to inspect directed vehicles.
Note:
Initially, all stations will appear as “Not STAR Certified,” since the program does not begin until January 1, 2013. Once the program begins, stations that meet the performance standard and apply for STAR certification will be shown as “STAR Certified. However, a station’s status of eligibility to inspect directed vehicles on this Web page may sometimes appear in conflict with the station’s results on the STAR Program performance measures. For example, the STAR Web page may show a station passing all of the STAR performance measures, but still show that the station is “Not STAR Certified” and, therefore, not eligible to inspect directed vehicles. This may be because the station has not yet applied for certification under the STAR Program, or that the station has applied but not yet had its application reviewed and certified by BAR as meeting all of the STAR Program performance measures. Conversely, the STAR Web page may show that a STAR certified station is not meeting all of the STAR Program performance measures, but still indicate that the station is “STAR Certified” to inspect directed vehicles. This is most likely because the process of invalidating the station’s STAR certification is pending administrative review at BAR. | |
Current STAR Result The Current STAR Result table summarizes a station’s current performance on all of the various STAR performance measures. The result of a station’s current performance will be shown in this table as a “Pass” or “Fail.” A “Pass” result means that the station currently meets the FPR and all of the Short- Term performance measures of the STAR Program. This means that the station is eligible to apply for, or maintain its current, STAR certification. However, stations still may be determined ineligible for other reasons, such as not being in compliance with the enforcement-related standards of the STAR Program, such as citations and administrative actions. At this time, the STAR Web page does not include a station’s performance in meeting the enforcement-related standards. We hope to add that feature to the STAR Web page before the program begins on January 1, 2013. A “Fail” result indicates that a station currently does not meet the standards for the STAR Program performance measures. A STAR certified station showing a “Fail” result may be in jeopardy of having its STAR certification invalidated.
Note:
The Current STAR Result table includes a summary of performance on the two main categories of the STAR Program: The Short-Term Measures and the Follow-up Pass Rate. The Short-Term Measures category summarizes a station’s performance on the seven Test Deviations, Incorrect Gear Selection, and Similar Vehicle Failure Rate performance measures. Results on the Short-Term Measures will be shown as a “Pass” or “Fail.” The Follow-up Pass Rate category only summarizes a station’s |
performance on the long-term performance measure known as the FPR. Results for the FPR will be shown as a “Pass” or “Fail.” |
Station Short-Term Summary The Station Short-Term Summary shows a station’s results for the following STAR Program performance measures: Test Deviations; Incorrect Gear Selection; and Similar Vehicle Failure Rate (SVFR). Test Deviations are further divided into the following seven performance measures: (1) Fuel Cap Not Performed; (2) Evap Not Performed; (3) Timing Not Performed; (4) OBD II Not Performed; (5) Max Readiness Monitors; (6) ASM Restarts; and (7) Aborted Tests. Together, these ten inspection- based performance measures are considered short-term because they are calculated based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR Program eligibility evaluations using these short- term performance measures are based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter.
The STAR Program does not evaluate stations based on how their individual inspectors performed on these short-term performance measures. Instead, the station’s short-term results are an aggregate of all inspections performed at that station for each three-month period. However, inspector results are published on this Web page in order to provide feedback to station owners and individual inspectors on their performance. Note that if an inspector performs inspections at more than one station, then the inspector results will be based on the inspections performed at all of the stations at which the inspector worked during the three-month period. |
Fuel Cap Not Performed This STAR performance measure calculates the rate at which each station indicates that a fuel cap pressure test cannot be performed on vehicles when at least 90% of the inspections performed on “similar vehicles” statewide indicate that the fuel cap is testable. The fuel cap test must be performed on all 1999 and older model year vehicles unless the vehicle is specifically excluded in the Smog Check Inspection Procedures Manual or the adapter necessary to properly test the vehicle in question is not produced by the fuel cap tester manufacturer. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the station’s rate of not performing fuel cap pressure tests is greater than the statewide average for similar vehicles. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
Evap Not Performed This STAR performance measure calculates the rate at which each station indicates that a Low Pressure Fuel Evaporative Test (LPFET) cannot be performed on vehicles when at least 90% of the inspections performed on “similar vehicles” statewide indicate that the evaporative system is testable. The LPFET must be performed on all 1976 to 1995 model year vehicles with some exceptions listed in the Smog Check Inspection Procedures Manual. The LPFET does not need to be performed when the evaporative canister or the evaporative lines cannot be tested without partially dismantling the vehicle. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the station’s rate of not performing the LPFET is greater than the statewide average for similar vehicles. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
Timing Not Performed This STAR performance measure calculates the rate at which each station indicates that a vehicle’s timing is not adjustable, and therefore cannot be tested, when at least 90% of the inspections performed on “similar vehicles” statewide indicate that the ignition timing is testable. As described in the Smog Check Inspection Procedures Manual, ignition timing does not have to be checked if the under hood label indicates that the timing is not adjustable or the vehicle is computer controlled and does not have timing adjustments. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, |
model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the station’s rate of not performing the Ignition Timing Test is greater than the statewide average for similar vehicles. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
OBD II Not Performed This STAR performance measure calculates the rate at which each station fails to perform the OBD II test on model year 1996 and newer vehicles when at least 90% of the inspections performed on “similar vehicles” statewide indicate that the OBD II system is testable. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the station’s rate of not performing the OBD II test is greater than the statewide average for similar vehicles. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
Max Readiness Monitors This STAR performance measure compares the rate at which each station passes vehicles on the initial test with the maximum allowable unset OBD II readiness monitors to the maximum unset monitor rates for “similar vehicles” statewide. An initial test may be an official inspection or a pretest and is the first test performed on a vehicle in its current inspection cycle, which may be for biennial inspection, change-of-ownership, or initial registration. The maximum allowable readiness monitors for model year 2001 and newer vehicles is one unset monitor. Model year 2000 and older vehicles are allowed two unset monitors. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the station’s rate of passing vehicles on the initial test with the maximum allowable unset OBD II readiness monitors is greater than 125% of the statewide average for similar vehicles. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
ASM Restarts This STAR performance measure compares the rate at which each station restarts ASM tests on vehicles to the ASM restart rates for “similar vehicles” statewide. Restarts occur when the speed or acceleration during an ASM test mode falls outside of the allowable limits. If multiple restarts occur while performing a single test, only one restart is counted as a restart deviation. Restarting tests for legitimate reasons such as drive-by-wire vehicles that are difficult to keep within the allowable speed threshold on an ASM test will be compared to similar vehicles, and therefore will not negatively affect a station that tests these vehicles. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the station’s ASM restart rate, during inspections where a certification was issued, is greater than 125% of the statewide average for similar vehicles. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
Aborted Tests This STAR performance measure compares the rate at which each station aborts inspections (ASM, TSI, Diesel) to the aborted test rates for “similar vehicles” tested on the same brand of emissions inspection system statewide. Inspectors who legitimately abort inspections, for reasons such as previously unidentified safety issues (e.g., a fuel leak), will tend to have abort rates at or below average. Inspectors who abort inspections for other reasons, such as trying to get a vehicle to pass through over conditioning or clean piping, will tend to have abort rates above average. “Similar |
vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the station’s aborted test rate is greater than 125% of the statewide average for similar vehicles tested on the same brand of inspection system. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is only based on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
Incorrect Gear Selection This STAR performance measure compares the rate at which vehicles tested by each station are shifted into the incorrect gear during an ASM inspection to the incorrect gear selection rates for “similar vehicles” statewide. The correct gear in which to drive a vehicle during an ASM test is clearly spelled out in the Smog Check Inspection Procedures Manual. Automatic transmission vehicles should be tested in “Drive” while manual transmission vehicles should be tested in 2nd gear. Manual transmission vehicles may be shifted into another gear only when the engine RPM during the test falls outside the allowable limits.
This measure works by first finding the 90th percentile RPM reading for similar vehicles inspected statewide, and then adding 300 rpm to that reading in order to establish the maximum allowable RPM limit for a particular vehicle. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the overall rate that vehicles are ASM tested in the wrong gear at a station is greater than 2%. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
Similar Vehicle Failure Rate (SVFR) This STAR performance measure compares the initial test failure rate for vehicles inspected at each station to the initial test failure rate for “similar vehicles” statewide. An initial test may be an official inspection or a pretest and is the first test performed on a vehicle in its current inspection cycle, which may be for biennial inspection, change-of-ownership, or initial registration. “Similar vehicles” means vehicles of the same model year, make, model, engine displacement, transmission type, and body style. Additional factors such as time since last certification, previous initial test result, and odometer readings are also taken into consideration.
The standard for this performance measure is not met if the overall rate that vehicles fail their initial test at a station is less than 75% of the statewide average for similar vehicles. In other words, the overall failure rate must be well below average in order for a station not to meet the SVFR. This performance measure is calculated every month based on data from the three most recent months. However, STAR eligibility for this performance measure is based only on the scores calculated at the end of each calendar quarter. |
Incidents STAR “Incidents” show specific cases where the inspection results indicate that the inspector followed incorrect test procedures based on a comparison of that inspector’s inspections to test results for similar vehicles throughout the state. The STAR Report Card will detail incidents for the following STAR performance measures:
· Fuel Cap Not Performed · Evap Not Performed · Timing Not Performed · OBD II Not Performed · Incorrect Gear Selection If an inspector or a station feels that an incident has been incorrectly identified and should be removed, they may challenge the incident by following the instructions detailed in question 4.11 of the STAR |
