Latest News

Texas Information Management System (TIMS+): Another Successful Gordon-Darby I/M Program Transition

In January 2007, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) contracted with Gordon-Darby to design, develop and operate the new Texas Information Management System. The TIMS+ contract includes a telecommunications network, central database system, and electronic data transmission with over 4,000 emissions testing systems and more than 3,600 inspection stations in four major metropolitan areas in Texas.

In October 2007, Gordon-Darby successfully completed an on-time, seamless TIMS+ implementation. This transition from the previous TIMS vendor took less than 9½ months and required absolutely no changes on the analyzer end. The system continues to run smoothly and it is anticipated the TIMS+ will receive over 6.5 million safety inspection and emissions tests annually.

Gordon-Darby also delivered and is maintaining a comprehensive suite of communications and data hosting services, and program management and reporting applications that Texas is using to administer the decentralized “AirCheckTexas” I/M program.

Latest Addition to Gordon-Darby Team

In mid-April 2006, Brenda Ackarman-Sioson became the latest addition to the Gordon-Darby corporate team.   She will serve in the capacity of Government Outreach and Business Development liaison. 

Immediately prior to joining Gordon-Darby, Brenda worked with VerizonBusiness (formerly MCI) for six years in the role of government consultant and program/contract manager for the Texas vehicle inspection and emissions testing program.   Brenda began her career in Texas in 1994 when she was hired by the Texas Department of Public Safety to serve in the capacity of legal counsel.  It was as legal counsel for the vehicle inspection and emissions testing program that Brenda joined the I/M community in 1996. 

Brenda brings with her to Gordon-Darby a very broad set of knowledge, skills and talent.  Her background in government agency and legislative outreach, combined with her twelve years of experience in designing, implementing and administering government mandated programs for both the public and private sector, perfectly complement the Gordon-Darby team.

Decision on MCI Protest of the Award of the Georgia I/M Management Contract

Documents related to the MCI protest of the award of the Georgia I/M Management Contract, RFP No. 46200-773-0000000251, are provided at http://www.gordon-darby.com/georgia_protest.html.  These are being provided to allow interested parties the opportunity to review the documents and draw their own conclusions.

Gordon-Darby New Hampshire Contract Amendment Approved

On November 2, 2005, the New Hampshire Governor and Executive Council approved a contract amendment that changes the fee for chargeable inspections to $5.00.  Only inspections of OBD-equipped vehicles are “chargeable” based on New Hampshire legislation that became effective in August, which is why the contract amendment and fee change were required.

Richard Joy Joins Gordon-Darby

Richard Joy, a 20-year I/M industry veteran, has joined Gordon-Darby.  Richard previously was a Partner at Sierra Research, a nationally-known air quality consulting firm, where he was responsible for managing all of the company’s I/M-related projects.  While at Sierra, he helped more than twenty I/M programs across the U.S. achieve on-time implementations and/or substantial improvements in the performance and quality of vehicle emissions inspections.  He is originally from Alaska, where he was responsible for implementing and managing a local decentralized test-and-repair inspection program in Fairbanks before joining Sierra in 1989. 

Richard is a recognized I/M industry expert and a frequent speaker at annual industry conferences.  Gordon-Darby is pleased to welcome him to our management team, where his broad background in I/M program design, implementation, evaluation, auditing and management will enable him to immediately contribute to our ongoing quality improvement efforts.  He will also assist in expanding the company’s offerings as we continue to grow to meet new I/M industry challenges. 

Gordon-Darby Completes New Hampshire Implementation

Gordon-Darby completed the New Hampshire implementation in the Spring of 2005, with official program “go live” in May 2005.  Our New Hampshire team delivered over 1500 testing units - during a bitter winter - to stations throughout the State. Almost 5000 inspectors have been trained and certified.  The stations are now inspecting about 100,000 vehicles per month with the new system.

Gordon-Darby Achieves Fastest VID Implementation for District of Columbia

In July 2005, the District of Columbia’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) awarded a contract to Gordon-Darby to design, implement, host and operate an electronic transmission system and vehicle inspection database (VID) that connects to both the vehicle test systems contained in the DC inspection lanes and the DMV DESTINY vehicle registration database system.  Gordon-Darby and ESP were hired under separate contracts to implement a short-term replacement vehicle inspection solution due to DMV’s identification of substantial concerns with the previous system.  ESP is responsible for installing and maintaining new OBD, idle and safety testing equipment in the DC vehicle inspection lanes while Gordon-Darby has responsibility for designing, implementing and operation of the VID and the link with DESTINY. 

Using our core VID technology, Gordon-Darby was able to deliver a fully functioning replacement system within two months, the fastest VID implementation on record, despite having to adapt to existing analyzer software, analyzer-VID communications and vehicle registration database/communications functionality. 

Gordon-Darby Patents and Demonstrates Self-Serve OBDII Kiosk

Gordon Darby developed, patented and demonstrated a user-friendly, tamper-resistant self-serve OBDII kiosk at the annual Mobile Sources/Clean Air Conference that was held at Copper Mountain, Colorado, in October 2004.  Gordon-Darby’s OBDII kiosk incorporates:

·         Video and audio “prompts” through the OBDII test process, including 'Help functions' designed to assist motorists in barcode scanning of the VIN, locating and plugging into the vehicle diagnostic link connector (DLC), etc.

·         Integral fraud deterrent features that are built into both the kiosk hardware and software, including a Gordon-Darby-built state-of-the-art VIN decoder, which are designed to minimize the potential for motorists to cheat on their OBDII tests.

We are continuing to develop and demonstrate improved versions of our OBDII kiosk, which has the potential for delivering enhanced motorist-friendly vehicle inspections as part of future I/M program implementations. 

Gordon Darby Wins the New Hampshire NHOST Management Contract

The State Of New Hampshire awarded the contract for management of a statewide vehicle inspection program to Gordon-Darby in June 2004.  In New Hampshire, Gordon-Darby is providing all station equipment, software, data management, and data communications as well as support services for the New Hampshire OBD and Safety Inspection (NHOST) program. 

The NHOST program has approximately 2,500 stations and 15,000 inspectors, with over 1.3 million inspections performed each year.  The contract includes a five-year operational phase during which Gordon-Darby personnel will maintain all station equipment, staff a call center and operate the data network.  NHOST station equipment consists of PC-based units running Windows XP Professional.  Features include automated OBD and safety inspection procedures, multimedia help and training, and advanced anti-fraud technology.

Gordon-Darby also provides a customer-oriented call center for both inspection stations and the public.  This service, modeled after Gordon-Darby’s successful operations in other programs, delivers prompt, courteous support to motorists and stations. 

Gordon-Darby’s NHOST solution incorporates the company’s latest data management suite and core technology, including separate, redundant resources for on-line transactions, reporting, data warehousing and data mining.

Gordon Darby Provides Decentralized Support in Louisiana

Gordon-Darby is now providing full support to approximately 175 inspection stations in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana program.  This contract with the State of Louisiana began operation in the spring of 2004.  The Louisiana program involves annual OBD/safety inspections of about 400,000 vehicles.  The decentralized test network includes 174 private and fleet repair shops spread throughout the 5-parish Baton Rouge ozone nonattainment area.

The program is fully implemented and in its operational phase. The State of Louisiana originally contracted with Parsons to provide test equipment to the Baton Rouge vehicle inspection stations; Gordon-Darby was subsequently hired to provide on-site test equipment service, technician support and help line services to all stations.  Company service personnel equipped with fully stocked maintenance vehicles provide timely responses to all service calls.

TransMass™ - A Cost-Effective Transient Test Approach

Gordon Darby has developed and patented TransMass™, a low-cost software-based testing approach that uses BAR97 type equipment to predict mass emissions during a transient drive cycle (e.g., the IM240) without the need for flow measurement hardware.  This solution, which can be used to generate near-IM240 SIP credits, is designed for cost effective implementation in either centralized or decentralized test networks.