The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has issued an enforcement reminder letter for vehicles subject to the Truck and Bus Regulation that have year-end clean-up requirements. The letter reminds fleets that heavier vehicles with 2000 to 2004 model year engines must have verified soot filters and/or upgrades to newer vehicles by January 1, 2013. Similar requirements for vehicles with 1996 to 1999 model year engines became effective earlier this year. Vehicles may also be eligible for certain flexibility options.
The letter can be found at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/truckstop/pdfs/enf-tb-letter2.pdf
ARB intends to promptly enforce the January 1, 2013 requirements. Non-compliant vehicles may not be operated in California and will be assessed penalties that start at a minimum of $1,000 per violation per month and increase significantly over time. Do not delay in taking action to clean up your fleet - the installation of a PM filter may take a month or longer to accomplish; however, you may be able to significantly reduce penalties by taking action now.
For additional information about in-use diesel engine requirements, you can visit the Truck Stop at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/truckstop, call 866-6DIESEL (866-634-3735), email the Truck Stop at: 8666diesel@arb.ca.gov, or review Team Run Smart's article "CARB Regulations - What You Need to Know and How to be Prepared."
Have your truck prepared for the CARB regulations so you aren’t blind-sided with a penalty if you drive through the state of California.
Background:
The Air Resources Board has adopted a number of regulations that require diesel engine owners to reduce toxic air pollution emissions. These regulations are part of the State’s plan to meet federal ambient air quality standards and to protect public health. Between 2012 and 2023, nearly all trucks and buses that operate in California with a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating greater than 14,000 pounds will need to upgrade to reduce exhaust emissions. To comply with these requirements, fleet owners may retrofit existing engines by installing ARB verified diesel PM filters or by upgrading to newer cleaner engines.