The California Air Resources Board has issued Advisory MSC 12-17 to notify stakeholders that the registration deadline for the Small Fleet Compliance Plan has been extended to January 1, 2013. This extension will allow fleets with 20 or fewer affected trailers that have not already registered to use a compliance option under the regulation to participate in the Small Fleet Compliance Plan.
On December 12, 2008, CARB approved for adoption the Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas Regulation (title 17 California Code of Regulations sections 95300-95312) to reduce GHG emissions from long-haul tractor-trailer combination vehicles operating in California. The regulation applies to 53-foot or longer dry-van and refrigerated-van trailers (box-type trailers) and the tractors that pull them on California highways. The regulation requires tractor-trailers operating in California to utilize tractors and box-type trailers that are either SmartWay certified or retrofitted with SmartWay verified aerodynamic devices (typically skirts, tail devices or undercarriage devices for the trailer) and low rolling resistance tires that meet specified fuel efficiency improvements.
Originally, the regulation provided owners of small fleets (fleets consisting of 20 or less box-type trailers) with the following compliance options:
ï‚· Bring all of their pre-2011 model year trailers into compliance with the aerodynamic equipment requirements of the regulation by January 1, 2013, or
ï‚· Phase-in compliance over a four year period (2013 through 2016) under the condition that they first register their trailers with CARB by July 1, 2012 for the Small Fleet Compliance Plan schedule.
Source: California Environmental Protection Agency/ California Air Resources Board