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The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has published a Q&A for
Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Generator Sets (genset) to
answer frequently asked questions about compliance with the TRU
Regulation’s requirements for brokers, shippers, receivers,
carriers, and drivers at California port terminals and depots. 

Please forward this email to TRU genset owners (e.g. ocean
carriers, lessors, etc.) and operators (e.g. port terminal
operators; port depot operators, lessees, etc.); equipment
managers; and/or people responsible for compliance with diesel
engine emissions regulations, equipment registration, and/or
reporting.  TRU gensets are generator sets that are designed and
used to provide electric power to electrically driven
refrigeration units of any kind, such as refrigerated shipping
containers.

This Q&A answers questions ARB received from port operations
stakeholders, such as:  “Who gets a citation if a noncompliant
TRU genset is dispatched at a port terminal or depot?”  The short
answer is:  “The owner.”  More detailed answers are provided in
this Q&A for typical cases of genset ownership.

This Q&A also discusses who is responsible for terminal Operator
Reports for gensets used at ports.  Operator Reports are required
under the TRU Regulation.  Port terminals and off-site depots are
responsible for Operator Reports, but ARB may allow them to
forego these reports if the port terminal or depot implements
procedures to make sure all of the ocean carriers that own TRU
gensets that are garaged, maintained, re-fueled, checked-out, and
dispatched from the terminal or depot are submitting Operator
Reports.  A terminal is any place where a TRU or TRU gen set
equipped truck, trailer, shipping container, railcar or TRU gen
set is garaged, maintained, operated, or dispatched from,
including a port terminal, port depot, dispatch office, or
cross-dock facility.

ARB’s Q&A for TRU Gensets is available at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/q&a_tru_gensets.pdf

Where can I get more information?

For general information about the TRU Regulation, the TRU Website
is at:  http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/tru.htm

The ARBER Registration Website is at: 
http://www.arb.ca.gov/arber/arber.htm

ARBER Registration Help pages are at: 
http://www.arb.ca.gov/arber/trureg/trureg.htm

ARBER Operator Report Help page is at: 
http://www.arb.ca.gov/arber/trureg/operator.htm

TRU Advisories are listed at: 
http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/advisories.htm

If you have questions about compliance or registration in ARBER,
please call the TRU Help Line at 1-888-878-2826 or call
1-916-327-8737.

Background:  TRUs are refrigeration systems powered by integral
diesel internal combustion engines designed to control the
environment of temperature-sensitive products that are
transported in trucks, trailers, shipping containers, and
railcars.  The emissions from these units are a source of
unhealthful air pollutants including particulate matter, toxic
air contaminants, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and
hydrocarbons, that all pose a potential threat to both public
health and the environment. These units often congregate in large
numbers at California distribution centers, grocery stores, and
other facilities where they run for extended periods of time to
ensure their perishable contents remain cold or frozen. These
distribution and loading facilities are often in close proximity
to schools, hospitals, and residential neighborhoods.  In 2004,
the TRU Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) was adopted by the
Board to reduce diesel particulate matter emissions from TRUs and
TRU gen set engines.  Amendments were adopted by the Board in
November 2010 and October 2011.