Emissions testing has been a fixture in Southeastern Wisconsin for more than 40 years, but figuring out when you need a test and where to go is not always simple.
For drivers like Caroline, who recently had her car tested, it can be a hassle.
"I don't like it because I had to start looking for where to go," Caroline said.
Caroline said some testing locations listed online are sometimes no longer operating when drivers arrive.
"A place you do last year, when you get there, the place is closed," Caroline said.
The Wisconsin Vehicle Inspection Program lists inspection facilities on its website. I called a few to verify if they still are participating, and all said they were, but that doesn't mean it is consistent.
"You don't have locations where you can really go, and you keep going, going,"Caroline said.
WATCH: Milwaukee drivers struggle to find open emissions testing locations
I reached out to Opus Inspection, the company keeping track of the facilities, to ask how often that list is updated, but they did not respond by the time this story aired.
When all else fails, the WIVIP says there are self-service locations where people can check their cars themselves.
Chevy Bueno is a mechanic at Badgers Automotive. He tests cars coming into the shop all the time.
"We'll get like about 10 tests a day or even more when it's really busy," Bueno said.
Even though the testing is mandatory, it doesn't mean it is wanted.
"We hardly get peanuts over it, but I mean, we still do it," Bueno said.
Back in the 1980s, the Environmental Protection Agency said Milwaukee County had too much air pollution. Emissions testing was put in place to bring those levels down and target ozone pollution.
"It controls the vapors that flow into the air," Bueno said.
Vehicle emissions testing is part of federal pollution standards. For drivers, failing to comply can come at a higher cost.
"If you don't, they'll get a ticket or even get their license suspended," Bueno said.
Now, Republican Wisconsin lawmakers are pushing to roll back emissions testing, a move that would need federal approval.
According to the EPA, if regions remove testing and fail to find a way to lower those limits, the agency could restrict future highway funding.
But Caroline has a simple wish.
"I wish it would just end," Caroline said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to thisplatform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on allplatforms for fairness and accuracy.
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