Heavy-Duty (Tractor-Trailer) Greenhouse Gas Regulation

This page last reviewed December 28, 2011

Heavy-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Regulation

Fact Sheets and Presentations Regulation Workshops and Meetings Reporting Forms Truck Regulation Training and Events

Background:


Regulation Overview Regulation Overview Video Regulation Overview Video

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) in December 2008 adopted a new regulation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving the fuel efficiency of heavy-duty tractors that pull 53-foot or longer box-type trailers.  Fuel efficiency is improved through improvements in tractor and trailer aerodynamics and the use of low rolling resistance tires.

The regulation is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalents by 2020, statewide.  Over the 11 years between 2010, when the rule goes into effect, and the end of 2020, it is estimated that truckers and trucking companies will save about $8.6 billion when diesel fuel consumption is reduced by as much as 750 million gallons in California and 5 billion gallons across the nation.

Reporting Overview Reporting Overview Video Reporting Overview Video

The tractors and trailers subject to this regulation must use U.S. Environmental Protection Agency SmartWaySM certified tractors and trailers, or retrofit their existing fleet with SmartWay verified  technologies.   For further information, please call 866-6DIESEL (866-634-3735) or email at: 8666diesel@arb.ca.gov. Financial assistance is available through an ARB loan program and the Federal SmartWay Finance Program .  More information can also be found at the federally-funded Diesel Emissions Reduction National Program (DERA).

Related Links

What's New

  • Registration Deadline for Large Trailer Fleets to be Extended - See Advisory MSC 11-39 (Posted December 28, 2011)
    The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has issued Advisory MSC 11-39 to notify stakeholders that ARB is extending the registration and first year compliance reporting deadlines for Option 2 of the Large Fleet Compliance Plan to a future date that will be determined through a regulatory process. This extension would provide fleets that have not already registered to use a compliance option under the regulation to participate in Option 2 of the Large Fleet Compliance Plan. For further details, please refer to the Advisory.
  • Final Rulemaking Package for the Amendments to the Regulation (Posted November 10, 2011)
    Staff have posted the Final Rulemaking Package for the amendments to the regulation. The package was filed with the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) on October 26, 2011, and OAL has until December 12, 2011, to make a determination. The package includes the Final Statement of Reasons which includes ARB's responses to all comments received on the regulation during the public comment periods.
  • Training videos now available (Posted August 8, 2011)
    Two new videos were created from the June 9, 2011 webcast training on the Tractor-Trailer GHG regulation. Just click on the tractor-trailer pictures or the Reporting Overview Video links above to view either the Regulation Overview video or the Reporting Overview video.
  • 15-Day Notice of Public Availability of Modified Text (Posted August 5, 2011)
    ARB has posted the Notice of Public Availability of Modified Text and Availability of Additional Documents for the Proposed Adoption of the Regulation to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Heavy-Duty Vehicles. The notice, modified text, and Regulatory Documents are now available.
  • Reporting Deadline Extended for Large Fleet Compliance Phase-In (Posted June 28, 2011)
    Advisory 429 explains changes in the Tractor-Trailer GHG regulation extending the reporting deadline for large fleets with 21 or more 53-foot or longer box-type trailers from July 1, 2011 to August 1, 2011.
  • July 1, 2011 Reporting Deadline for Large Fleets (Posted June 9, 2011)
    Fleets have two options to comply with the Tractor-Trailer GHG regulation: either be in compliance by January 1, 2013, or take advantage of an option which allows a longer compliance phase-in. To take advantage of the longer phase-in, large fleets (with 21 or more trailers) must submit a compliance plan to the California Air Resources Board by July 1, 2011. The plan includes a list of trailers in the fleet and the scheduled percentage of trailers to be brought into compliance each year. The phase-in option allows fleets up to five years from 2011 through 2015 to phase-in compliance for their California bound trailers. Instructions on how to prepare and submit your plan can be found in the Large Fleet Compliance fact sheet.
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