CARB issues alert to TRU engine owners

Dec. 4, 2015

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is alerting model year (MY) 2008 transport refrigeration unit (TRU) engine owners: If you order Level 3-verified diesel particulate filters (DPFs) soon, you may still have time to retrofit by year-end 2015.

MY 2008 TRU and TRU generator set engines must comply with the TRU regulation’s in-use performance standards by December 31, 2015. Verified Diesel Emissions Control Strategies (VDECS) manufacturers have stock on hand, so purchase and installation of VDECS by the end of 2015 is likely possible, but you will need to act soon.

Replacement engines are no longer a compliance option because they must be cleaner than the old engine being replaced and there is no replacement engine that fits and functions that is cleaner than an MY 2008 engine.

Businesses that hire refrigerated carriers are reminded that the TRU regulation requires them to only hire carriers that can show they are in compliance with the TRU regulation. Before hiring a refrigerated carrier, require them to show you proof that they have a compliant TRU. Requirements for brokers, freight forwarders, shippers, receivers, carriers, and drivers are outlined in detail in CARB’s Guidance for Brokers, Forwarders, Shippers, Receivers, Carriers, and Drivers for Hiring and Contracting TRU-Carrier Transport of Perishable Goods on California Highways and Railways at www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/guidance_broker-shipper-receiver.pdf.

The Spanish version of this guidance is available at www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/guidance_broker-shipper-receiver.pdf.

The business entity that hires refrigerated carriers to transport perishable goods on California highways or railways should send a letter to the carriers they do business with, making them aware that the hiring business entity requires all of the refrigerated carriers they hire to comply with the TRU regulation’s in-use performance standards. The notice would also say the hiring business entity now requires refrigerated carriers to:

•Certify to the hiring business entity that they (the carrier) will only dispatch TRUs that comply with the in-use performance standards

•Register their TRUs in CARB’s Equipment Registration (ARBER) system if they will travel on California highways or railways

•Print out the ARBER certification page for each TRU

•Send the ARBER certification pages to the broker, forwarder, shipper, or receiver. These points are all addressed in the letter template provided at www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/template_notice_to_carriers.pdf. A Spanish version of this letter template is available at www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/template_notice_to_carriers_span.pdf.

For general information about the TRU Regulation and VDECS information, access www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/tru.htm. Scroll down toward the end of the webpage for Level 3 VDECS information.

The ARBER registration website is at www.arb.ca.gov/arber/arber.htm.

For answers to questions about compliance or registration in ARBER, call 1-888-878-2826 or 1-916-327-8737.