The owner of a Rhode Island trucking operation confessed to using advanced technology to bypass emissions sensors, allowing Class 8 vehicles to get better fuel efficiency while polluting the air.
Michael J. Collins, the owner of M&D Transportation in North Kingstown, used a side venture known as Diesel Tune-Ups of RI to provide “tunes” to heavy-duty commercial vehicles. He was accused of tampering with computer systems on behalf of freight transportation outfits around the country. The goal was to trick or disable monitoring systems, so they could generate increased torque, horsepower, and diesel mileage at the expense of breathable air. He allegedly ran the racket from September 2014 to Aug. 2019, according to reports. That was until the office of U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha charged him with violating the Clean Air Act.
“Our environmental laws are here to protect the clean air that every Rhode Islander deserves to breathe,” A.G. Cunha reportedly stated. “When companies choose to ignore those laws and put profit over their legal duties, and spew diesel soot and contaminants across Rhode Island and New England in the process, this office will hold them to account.”
Collins, who plead guilty to the charges, conspired with someone the government referred to as a foreign national. This individual was provided with a laptop and truck tuning software and given a fee for each “tune.” The Rhode Island trucking company owner was so bold that he marketed the operation on Facebook and had interested parties contact the foreign national directly. The social media posts claimed the tunes “provided increased power and better fuel mileage and offered to tune for ‘Big Rig semi-trucks and engines’ including tuning related to emission control equipment.”
Those who participated in the scheme reportedly paid between $1,700 and $3,650 per vehicle. The fees were split between the Collins and the foreign national tuner. Federal investigators reportedly traced payments from upwards of 25 trucking outfits and repair shops from March 2017 through at least June 1, 2018, alone.
“More recent testing conducted by EPA indicates that the pollutant increase is even greater when the emission controls are deleted from commercial semi-tractor trailer trucks,” A.G. Cunha reportedly stated.
Collins, M&D Transportation, and Diesel Tune Ups of R.I. plead guilty to conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act. Collins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 10.
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