When you hear CARB (the California Air Resources Board) has created a new regulation, you probably start to feel uneasy about what this new law is going to cost you. Their previous regulation, the On-Road Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicles (In-Use) Regulation, can cost owner-operators between $16,000-$18,000 to install the emission compliance filter required. Besides feeling good about putting cleaner air back onto the earth, there was not much benefit to owner-operators with this regulation. In fact, the filters actually cause a decrease in fuel efficiency, which hurts your bottom line. But the new CARB Greenhouse Gas Regulation is good for the environment and for you.
The Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas Regulation was created to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions produced by certain heavy-duty tractor-trailers. The regulation requires the use of US Environmental Protection Agency SmartWay verified aerodynamic technologies and low rolling resistance (LRR) tires on vehicles operating on California highways.
The regulation applies to all 53-foot or longer box-type trailers, including both dry-van and refrigerated-van trailers operating in California, and the heavy-duty tractors that pull them. Similar to the On-Road Heavy-Duty Regulation, this law applies to all affected vehicles operating on California highways, regardless of where they are registered.
Owners of tractors subject to the regulation must either purchase new SmartWay certified tractors or retrofit existing tractors with low rolling resistance tires. Owners of trailers subject to the regulation must either purchase new SmartWay certified trailers or retrofit existing trailers with SmartWay verified aerodynamic technologies and low rolling resistance tires.
The benefit to you from this regulation is that it forces you to take advantage of some of the fuel-efficient technologies available, which will save you money in the long run. SmartWay certified tires cost about $10.00 to $30.00 more than you would spend on non-Smartway certified tires. But these LRR tires are going to increase your fuel efficiency by as much as 5%, or $3300 a year if you are running 10,000 miles a month. See how much you can save with a SmartWay certified tire by using Michelin's Fuel Savings Calculator.
Adding aerodynamic technologies to your truck and trailer is also going to save you money on fuel, and is a practice that successful owner-operators already live by. These technologies include:
- Tractor: roof fairings, fuel tank fairings, and aerodynamic bumpers and mirrors.
- Trailer: side skirts, gap fairings, and boat-tail fairings.
According to Sub-article 1(b), Sections 95301, title 17, California Code of Regulations, the following tractors and trailers are exempt from any requirements:
- Drop-frame trailers
- Chassis trailers
- Curtain-side trailers
- Livestock trailers
- Refuse trailers
- Box-type trailers less than 53 feet in length
- Emergency vehicles
- Military tactical support vehicles
For more information visit CARB's website.
Below are the required technology and compliance deadlines affecting tractors and trailers.
Compliance Information for Small Fleets of 53-Foot Trailers:
If you would like to learn more information about the Greenhouse Gas Regulation, there are fact sheets, compliance tools and regulatory documents available at www.arb.ca.gov/cc/hdghg/hdghg.htm or by calling ARB’s diesel hotline at (866) 6 DIESEL. The thing to remember is that while some regulations may be inconvenient, this regulation will benefit you and the environment and will be well worth the investment to save money on fuel.