The sector federation on inspection centers GOCA Flanders counted 22 914 inspections ‘on location’ last year. These were inspection lines for trucks and buses on the site of large companies, where inspectors go to the customer instead of the other way around.

The project to have larger vehicle fleets inspected on-site quickly and efficiently was launched in 2012 and continues to expand. In January, the 21st off-center inspection line was commissioned in Sint-Katelijne-Waver.

Better for the climate

“The advantage of on-site inspection lines for the customer is cost efficiency through time savings and fewer kilometers to travel,” says GOCA Flanders. “This also means fewer CO2 emissions, which in turn has a significant impact on the environment.”

Although the initiative has been running for over a decade, the number of vehicles inspected on location still increases yearly. In 2020, it was 15 629 vehicles, 18 557 a year later, and by 2022, it is already flirting with the 23 000 threshold.

Because the system increases services to professional customers and reduces pressure on inspection centers, GOCA Flanders is usually in demand for new inspection lines. This year, the federation plans to expand the project even further. There are no concrete figures on the number of vehicles rejected during this inspection.

Audit of car inspections

Flemish mobility minister Lydia Peeters (Open VLD) has demanded an audit of the car inspections after a record number of complaints came in last year. The procedure is too strict, drivers have to wait too long, and they receive no explanation if their car is rejected.

The Flemish Department of Mobility and Public Works received 1 182 reports last year, an increase of 27% over the previous year and an absolute record. Of those 1 182 reports, there were 573 complaints out of roughly 3,4 million inspections. This also means that more than 99,95% of assessments went without complaints.

However, government supervision of the 43 stations, without counting the 21 mobile ones, is inadequate: barely two inspectors must cope with the control.