In the past year, the California Air Resource Board (CARB) enacted certain amendments to the Heavy-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Regulations, known as the California SmartWay mandate. In addition to obligations on tractors and other power vehicles, the regulations impose certain obligations on lessees and owners of certain trailers (operators) which operate in California.

The regulations require that all applicable 53 foot or longer trailers which operate in California be equipped with certain low rolling resistance tires and aerodynamic technologies by certain deadlines. Keep in mind there are certain criteria that must be met to achieve this compliance.

Specifically for:

• Model year 2011 or newer trailers, the compliance date was January 1, 2010
• Model year 2010 or older, the compliance date is January 1, 2013

Depending on the size of your fleet, you may be entitled under the regulations to an extension of time to comply with these requirements or may be eligible for recognized exemptions from compliance.

(a) For large fleets (21 or more in size), a compliance plan is due no later than July 1, 2011, which can have the effect of delaying full compliance until January 1, 2016.

(b) For small fleets (20 or less in size), a compliance plan is due no later than July 1, 2012, which can have the effect of delaying full compliance until January 1, 2017.

If an operator fails to meet the compliance plan deadline, it will not qualify for the optional compliance extension and will be responsible for making its fleet 100 percent compliant by the earlier date of January 1, 2013.

For more detailed information, please visit the CARB website arb.ca.gov.

By “Move Ahead” Staff