Section 451.100  Official Testing Station Lane  or Designated Testing Area Requirements

a)         Official Testing Stations that conduct either special category inspections or school bus inspections or both are required to have a test lane area.  The lane area is where all authorized safety testing equipment is installed.  Official Testing Stations that conduct Appendix G inspections are required to have either a designated testing area or a lane area where all Appendix G inspections are to be conducted.  Official Testing Stations that conduct all three types of inspections may be equipped with both a designated testing area and a lane area.

b)         The Lane or designated testing area must be clean and properly maintained within the minimum dimensions required for Station classification (see Section 451.110(b)).

c)         The floor of the lane or designated testing area must be a level concrete surface free from high or low spots.  If a lane is required, the lanes' floor must be suitable for the installation of authorized safety test equipment according to the manufacturer's specifications.

d)         The floor of the approach and the surface of the lane or testing area must be free from dirt, oil and grease.

e)         The lane or designated testing area must not be utilized for servicing, repairing, washing or parking vehicles.  The lane or designated testing area must not be utilized for the storing of vehicles, parts or other materials.  (Minor repairs or adjustments to rejected vehicles, e.g., light bulb replacement, headlight aim are allowed.) ("P" lanes are exempt from this subsection.)

f)         The lane or designated testing area must be well lighted, ventilated by natural or artificial means and capable of being heated when necessary.

g)         The lane or designated testing area must be located to allow a direct approach by the tested vehicle within the dimensions required for lane classification.

h)         There must be no obstruction caused by building design or fixture placement within the minimum dimensions of the lane or designated testing area.

i)          A Station may have more than one lane.  Each lane must be equipped with the authorized safety test equipment (see Section 451.Appendix F for list of equipment).

j)          Private Official Testing Stations authorized to perform Appendix G inspections are limited to one designated testing area.  Public Official Testing Stations may have a designated testing area where only Appendix G inspections can be performed.

k)         Lane or designated testing area dimensions must be of adequate length and width in order to test the fleet's largest vehicle or combination of vehicles inside the building which houses the Official Testing Station.

l)          If an Official Testing Station Permit is cancelled because a lane or designated testing area is closed or inactive for at least six months, or because an Official Testing Station has changed ownership, an inspection of testing equipment in a lane and building facilities will be conducted by Department personnel before reopening.  All equipment and facilities must be approved prior to the issuance of a new Permit in accordance with Section 451.110.

m)        If an OTS is closed for any reason for more than 30 days, an inspection of testing equipment in a lane and building facilities will be conducted by Department personnel before reopening.

n)         If a lane is closed due to equipment malfunction, no inspections are to be performed at the Official Testing Station, regardless of whether equipment is required for an inspection.

o)         Failure to meet any of the requirements of this Section shall nullify the application until all requirements are met.

(Source:  Amended at 17 Ill. Reg. 12839, effective July 27, 1993)