EXHIBIT 31.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO RULE 15d-14(d) OFTHE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED

I, Mark A.
Carlson, certify that:

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| | 1. | I have
 reviewed this report on Form 10-K and all reports on Form 10-D required to be
 filed in respect of the period covered by this report on Form 10-K of CIT
 Equipment Collateral 2008-VT1 (the Exchange Act periodic reports);                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
| |    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
| | 2. | Based on my
 knowledge, the Exchange Act periodic reports, taken as a whole, do not
 contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
 fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances
 under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the
 period covered by this report;                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
| |    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
| | 3. | Based on my
 knowledge, all of the distribution, servicing and other information required
 to be provided under Form 10-D for the period covered by this report is
 included in the Exchange Act periodic reports;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              
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| | 4. | Based on my
 knowledge and the servicer compliance statements required in this report
 under Item 1123 of Regulation AB, and except as disclosed in the Exchange Act
 periodic reports, the servicers have fulfilled their obligations under the
 servicing agreements in all material respects; and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
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| | 5. | All of the
 reports on assessment of compliance with servicing criteria for asset-backed
 securities and their related attestation reports on assessment of compliance
 with servicing criteria for asset-backed securities required to be included
 in this report in accordance with Item 1122 of Regulation AB and Exchange Act
 Rules 13a-18 and 15d-18 have been included as an exhibit to this report,
 except as otherwise disclosed in this report. Any material instances of
 noncompliance described in such reports have been disclosed in this report on
 Form 10-K.
| |    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 
| |    | In giving
 the certifications above, I have reasonably relied on information provided to
 me by the following unaffiliated parties: Dell Financial Services, L.L.C., a
 subservicer, DFS-SPV, L.L.C., a subservicer, Manufacturers and Traders Trust
 Company, the indenture trustee, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, the owner
    trustee, and Barclays Bank PLC, a derivative counterparty.                                                                                                                                                                            

| |                                             
| | --------------------------------------------
| | Date: March 27, 2009                        
| |                                             
| | /s/ Mark A.
 Carlson                        
| |                                             
| | Mark A.
 Carlson                            
| | Senior Vice
 President  Corporate Treasury 
| | CIT
 Financial USA, Inc., as Master Servicer

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