CARB Announced Proposed Amendments to Truck and Bus Emissions Regulations

CARB this week announced proposed amendments to its Truck and Bus Regulation. CARB says the proposed amendments provide drivers who are trying to company with the new emissions regulations with some flexibility while still giving consideration to the “the important emission benefits the regulation provides.”

The amendments were proposed after steak holders and truck drivers voiced concerns about their ability to comply with regulations.

“The trucking community spoke and we listened,” said ARB Chairman Mary D. Nichols. “The good news is that we will not have to sacrifice the state’s air quality goals to assist fleet owners. These amendments, which include more flexible deadlines and increased opportunities to access incentive funding, will further our emissions reduction goals by better ensuring that fleets can meet the requirements of the regulation.”

Many predicted the cost of compliance would put many small California carries out of business and prevent noncompliant out-of-state trucks from entering the state.

The California Resource Board will will discuss the proposed amendments at the April 24 hearing.

If the board approves the amendments, carriers and owner operators who have already made investments to their trucks will be provided with additional benefits.  

“We recognize the huge investments that many business owners have already made in order to meet the requirements of the Truck and Bus Regulation,” Nichols said. “Their efforts have gone a long way toward helping us to meet our mandatory deadlines and we laud them for what they have accomplished.”

The proposed amendments provide flexibility to small fleets, lower mileage fleets and fleets from areas that are also working for cleaner air.

The proposed changes include:

• A longer phase-in period for diesel particulate matter (PM) requirements for trucks that operate exclusively in certain rural areas with cleaner air;
• Additional time and a lower cost route for all small fleet owners to meet their PM compliance requirements, while reopening opportunities for these fleet owners to apply for and receive public incentive funding;
• A compliance route for owners currently unable to qualify for a loan to finance required upgrades;
• Adjusted schedules for low-use vehicles and  certain work trucks;
• Recognition of fleet owners who took action to comply by providing additional “useable life” for retrofit trucks and reducing near-term compliance requirements.

Overall these amendments would also ensure that, by 2020, the annual emission reductions would be at the same level as with the existing regulation.

For more information, please see: Proposed Amendments to the Truck and Bus Regulation