Arlington, Texas – The AirCheckTexas Drive a Clean Machine Program will be winding down soon. The last day to apply for assistance with vehicle repair or replacement is April 8.
Administered by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, AirCheckTexas has helped qualifying motorists repair or replace more than 71,000 vehicles since 2002. AirCheckTexas is one of the many programs helping improve air quality of the region, which is in nonattainment for ozone and working to meet federal air quality standards.
Motorists whose vehicles failed the emissions portion of the annual State inspection within the past 30 days or are at least 10 years old are eligible for assistance if they meet certain income requirements. A family of four with an annual household income of $77,250 or less, for example, can qualify for assistance.
The program offers residents who meet the income and vehicle requirements vouchers of up to $3,500 toward newer, cleaner-burning vehicles and up to $600 toward emissions repairs. The program has led to an annual savings of 140 tons of nitrogen oxides. For more information on the program, including the income requirements, visit www.airchecktexas.org.
Since its inception, AirCheckTexas has provided $121 million in financial assistance to qualifying motorists in nine North Texas counties. The program is open to motorists in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall and Tarrant counties.
There is $18.3 million of dedicated funding remaining. Any money not spent will be returned to the State. The program was fully funded by the 85th Texas Legislature in 2017 but funding was then vetoed by the governor.
The Regional Transportation Council is supporting an effort to reinstate a modernized version of the program focusing on air quality and transportation mobility. Counties would have the option to offer a similar repair and replacement program in the future, if passed.
AirCheckTexas Program Highlights
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Vehicles replaced
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36,908
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Vehicles repaired
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35,048
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Financial assistance provided
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$121 million
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Money remaining to be spent
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$18.3 million
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About the Regional Transportation Council:
The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) of the North Central Texas Council of Governments has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for regional transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1974. The MPO works in cooperation with the region’s transportation providers to address the complex transportation needs of the rapidly growing metropolitan area. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise counties. The RTC’s 44 members include local elected or appointed officials from the metropolitan area and representatives from each of the area’s transportation providers. More information can be found at www.nctcog.org.
About the North Central Texas Council of Governments:
NCTCOG is a voluntary association of local governments established in 1966 to assist local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit and coordinating for sound regional development.
NCTCOG's purpose is to strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication, and make joint decisions. NCTCOG serves a 16-county region of North Central Texas, which is centered on the two urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. Currently, NCTCOG has 229 member governments including 16 counties, 167 cities, 19 school districts and 27 special districts. For more information on the Transportation Department, visit www.nctcog.org/trans.
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