California ARB extends small fleet registration deadline for greenhouse gas regulation

3 October 2012

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has extended the registration deadline for the Small Fleet Compliance Plan regarding the Tractor-Trailer Greenhouse Gas regulation. The new compliance date is 1 January 2013. This extension will provide fleets with 20 or fewer affected trailers, that have not already registered, to use a compliance option under the regulation to participate in the extended phase-in option of the Small Fleet Compliance Plan that begins in 2013 and ends in 2016.

The Tractor-Trailer GHG regulation applies to 53-foot or longer dry van or refrigerated van trailers (box-type trailers) and the tractors that pull them on California highways. The regulation requires these tractor-trailers to utilize certain aerodynamic equipment and low rolling resistance tires, as verified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (known as SmartWay technologies.)

Small fleet owners of 2010 and older model year trailers have two choices to bring their fleets into compliance. They can either ensure their fleet is equipped with US EPA “SmartWay” verified aerodynamic equipment on their trailers by 1 January 2013, or they can choose the phase-in compliance plan which requires owners to report their information to ARB by the 1 January 2013 date. By choosing the phase-in option, they can take up to four years to comply with the regulation. Regardless of which method owners choose, they must also install fuel efficient, low-rolling resistance tires on their trailer fleets by 1 January 2017.