DMV To Take Over Safety Inspections

WATERBURY — The State Department of Motor Vehicles announced this week that beginning January 2 it will take over the vehicle safety inspections that Envirotest, Inc., the state’s emissions contractor, now performs statewide. The change means that motorists who need safety inspections must go to DMV sites for this service.

These inspections are required to register vehicles that are 10 or more years old or when a vehicle comes into Connecticut from out of state.

Envirotest lost its $2.2 million contract after state investigators arrested seven employees in October at the Bridgeport and Thomaston stations and accused them of taking bribes to pass defective vehicles. The safety test scandal occurred just months after the arrests of three other Envirotest employees accused of taking bribes to pass cars through the emissions tests.

In November Gov John Rowland announced plans not to renew the safety inspections contract, which expires at the end of the year, and urged competitors to bid on the $23 million emissions contract when it expires in June 2002.

DMV has established 11 safety inspection facilities statewide, located in major geographic areas including Danbury (at 25 Tamarack Road) and Waterbury (2210 Thomaston Avenue). All are open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:15 am to 4:30 pm; Thursday, from 8:15 am to 6:30 pm; and Saturday, from 8:15 am to 12:30 pm.