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Transit fleet violated emissions requirements. 

Release 09-23
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
March 17, 2009 

Mary Salas Fricke
916-322-2825
www.arb.ca.gov 

Tulare County Area Transit fined for air quality violations

SACRAMENTO- The California Air Resources Board this month has
fined Tulare County Area Transit $5,250 for failure to inspect
its diesel bus fleet for smoke emissions during 2006 and 2007.

ARB enforcement teams found that the district both failed to
meet the transit fleet vehicle rule requirements and inspect
their buses for excess emissions.

"There is no excuse for violating the clean truck and bus laws,"
said ARB Chairman Mary Nichols. "ARB enforcement personnel offer
training around the state to public transportation authorities to
meet inspection, operating and recordkeeping requirements."

Annual smoke tests are required for diesel bus and truck fleets
and the law ensures that all vehicles are properly maintained,
tamper-free and free from excessive smoke.
As part of the settlement, Tulare County Area Transit is
required to: 

Guarantee employees responsible for conducting the inspections
attend a training class on diesel emissions compliance testing
and provide certificates of completion within one year;
 
Provide documentation to ARB that the inspections are being
carried out for the next four years; 

Ensure all heavy-duty diesel vehicles have their software
updated with the latest low-NOx (oxides of nitrogen emissions)
programming; 

Instruct vehicle operators to comply with the state's idling
regulations; 

Comply with requirements of the fleet rule for transit agencies;
and, 

Ensure all diesel trucks are up to federal emissions standards
for the vehicle model year and are properly labeled with an
emission control label. 

Tulare County Area Transit will pay $5,250 in penalties:
$3,937.50 will go to the California Air Pollution Control Fund,
providing funding for projects and research to improve
California's air quality; the Peralta Community College District
will receive the $656.25 to fund emissions education classes
conducted by participating California community colleges; and the
California Pollution Control Financing Authority will receive the
remaining $656.25 to fund low-interest loans for owners of
off-road diesel-powered construction vehicles.

Diesel exhaust contains a variety of harmful gases and over 40
other known cancer-causing substances. In 1998, California
identified diesel exhaust as a toxic air contaminant based on its
potential to cause cancer, premature death and other health
problems. New research links vehicle exhaust and lung cancer
mortality in trucking industry workers exposed to diesel and
other types of vehicle emissions with increasing years of work.

The Air Resources Board is a department of the California
Environmental Protection Agency. ARB's mission is to promote and
protect public health, welfare, and ecological resources through
effective reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and
considering effects on the economy. The ARB oversees all air
pollution control efforts in California to attain and maintain
health based air quality standards.

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