Diesel truck emissions regulations begin in January

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The California Air Resources Board is reminding owners of heavier diesel trucks that new emission-reducing regulations go into effect Jan. 1, 2012 and many businesses may need to report compliance online. The regulation, adopted in 2008 and later amended in 2010, applies to all privately owned diesel trucks that operate in California.

The regulation provides owners of heavier trucks and buses (those with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating greater than 26,000 pounds) with two options to reduce diesel emissions. They can:

1. Follow a staggered implementation schedule that requires 1996-1999 model year engines be retrofitted with a diesel particulate matter (PM) filter by Jan. 1, 2012; or, 

2. Use a flexible phase-in option that requires any 30 percent of vehicles in the fleet to have a PM filter. (Note: this option requires fleet owners to report information about all their heavier vehicles to ARB by Jan. 31, 2012. Fleets that report can also take advantage of credits and special provisions.)

Owners of small fleets (defined as one to three trucks with a GVWR greater than 14,000 pounds) can postpone the January 2012 compliance requirement for their heavier trucks until 2014, but
must report their fleet information to ARB by Jan. 31, 2012, in order to receive the extension.

Lighter diesel trucks with a GVWR of 14,001 to 26,000 pounds have no compliance requirements until 2015.

Truck owners seeking compliance assistance and funding opportunities can visit ARB’s Truck Stop at www.arb.ca.gov/truckstop or call the Diesel Hotline at 866-634-3735.

Article written by Rob Neenan, Senior Vice President

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