As PM2.5 soars, DLT bans hundreds of vehicles for failing exhaust tests
Hundreds of trucks and buses have been removed from the roads after failing exhaust tests, the Department of Land Transport (DLT) announced on Sunday.
The tests were launched in October under Transport Minister Saksayam Chidchob’s policy to clamp down on emissions of PM2.5 pollution.
However, levels of the harmful particles have surged in recent weeks.
DLT director-general Jirut Wisanjit said inspectors checked 101,709 trucks and buses between October 1 and January 30. Of these, 483 were banned from road use after they failed emission tests.
The department warned operators and owners it was against the law to use vehicles that exceed exhaust emission limits. It advised them to fix any vehicle that emitted black smoke and have it checked at a DLT office.
The DLT also asked citizens to help solve the PM2.5 haze problem by sending photos of trucks or buses that emit black smoke with their plate numbers to the 1584 hotline, Line account @1584DLT, https://www.facebook.com/dlt1584, http://ins.dlt.go.th/cmpweb/, the DLT GPS app, or e-mail them to [email protected].
