Dallas drivers can get $3,500 for trading in polluting clunkers

by PegNews wire

A state program to get pollution-spewing older cars off the road is giving vouchers of up to $3,500 to low-income drivers towards newer, less polluting vehicles.

Drivers who agree to trade up from the stinky older car to a newer car gets $3,000; agree to a hybrid and you get $3,500.

The vouchers are available to residents of 16 counties in Texas, all surrounding Dallas, Houston, and Austin: Brazoria, Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Johnson, Kaufman, Montgomery, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant, Travis, and Williamson.

Less pollution is good but the rationale, as articulated by environmentally-conscious Web site The Daily Green, is a bit strange.

Here’s why that’s smarter than the usual way government tries to keep cars from polluting:

Most cars that cause pollution are more than 10 years old, so targeting these will have the biggest bang for the buck. In comparison, the usual method, having every driver have their car inspected and pollution controls checked every year, is a waste of time and money.

In other words, disposing of the older car is more pollution-friendly. Does anyone remember what a wasteful sin it seemed like when electronic gear -- VCRs, radios, etc. -- was first introduced as disposable? (This would be in about the late '80s.) When it "made more sense" to throw away a component rather than get it repaired? That's what this argument sounds like.

Posted by T.G.

Staff
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Anonymous

WhitneyTM, says:

This isn't exactly as good as it sounds, folks (no surprise). The only drivers eligible for this program are those individuals or families whose income is equal to or less than 300% of the federal poverty line for their household size. The example in the article above means that for a family of four, you can't be bringing in more than $61K/yr, so if that's two parents with equal pay they have to make less than $30,500 each or they're not eligible. Have only two people in your household? Qualifying means you both make less than $20,535 (or if only one works, less than $41K).

Then there's the issue of the vouchers themselves. They are only good, according to the article, toward the purchase of new or late-model used vehicles less than $25K. That makes me wonder, if I'm making too much money to qualify for this program and yet I cannot afford a new or late-model used vehicle, then how will those who meet the poverty requirements possibly afford one, voucher or no?

I called AirCheckTexas to get the details on this myself. The woman I spoke to couldn't really answer how these poor folk were going to afford the cars. So all I found out was that not only can my family not get rid of either of our pre-1996 vehicles through this program, but the poorer drivers who DO participate may trade in their only transportation to get a voucher for something they still can't afford. Such a deal.

The poverty info isn't updated to 300% (won't happen until Dec.), but you can find out more here (link courtesy DMN): http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/implement...

Anonymous

2 years, 3 months ago
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twisteddog, says:

You can get a new 5-person Chevy Aveo for $12,010 MSRP. Add TTL and subtract the three-grand rebate and it comes to $10,091. With zero down and 20% interest (which is rather high) on a 60-month loan you'll pay $270 a month. A family of four with a total income of 61K should be able to afford that.

Anonymous

2 years, 3 months ago
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terryorze, says:

Does the 61,000 include sales of junkers? I think you could find a lot of cars that smoke for 1000.00 and sell them for 3500. The last time I saw this happen, the cars were auctioned off and found there way back on the road again still smoking.