CARB and What It Means for You as a Truck Driver

For some, the start of 2013 was spent peacefully with family and friends. For others, in celebration of the end of another year. And for still others, in head scratching at the thought of a new year. Unfortunately, some of the head scratchers were fleet operators and truck drivers. The reason for their frustration? CARB.

What is CARB?

By now, you probably have heard of CARB, but may not know what it is. CARB stands for the California environmental protection agency Air Resources Board. The purpose of this organization is to protect California's environment: however, this does not always work out as it might seem. As with most regulations, the damage done to business is often greater than the prevented damage done to the environment. Not to say that improvements in technology should not be pursued, but in the current economic state, many fleets, especially those who only occasionally run into California, may not have the capital to retrofit their equipment to satisfy CARB. For example, new regulations affecting the trucking industry may cost fleets millions of dollars in upgrades or thousands in fines if they fail to comply while.

CARB 2013

Starting on the first of January of 2013, new CARB regulations aimed at reducing the emissions output of heavy trucks went into effect. The regulations concern nearly every area of truck design from aerodynamic efficiency to engine operation and tires. Simply put, as of January 1st, heavy trucks operating within or entering California and pulling 53 foot trailers are now required to be registered with the CARB board and use Smartway products such as trailer skirts, chassis fairings, low rolling resistance tires, and engine emissions filters. Furthermore, reefer operators are required to make necessary adjustments to their units in order to reduce emissions.

Although all this may sound like regulatory gobbledygook, it will have a direct impact on you as a truck driver and/or fleet operator. It will also have an impact on the price of consumer goods. 

Coping with CARB

So what is the best method to deal with CARB? In reality, there are three choices: avoid California, lease equipment, or retrofit your existing trucks and trailers.

If you can avoid trucking in California, you probably should until the regulations become more reasonable. Given the cost of new tires, chassis skirts, boattails, and engine/reefer upgrades, unless you run often into California, the cost of these improvements is not worth it. Even with their perceived benefits, many of these enhancements to the truck's performance may be detrimental if you also haul anywhere in the Rocky Mountain states or Canada.

If you only run into California on an infrequent basis, it might be wise to lease equipment from a large truck or trailer leasing outfit such as XTRA Lease, Pac Lease, or even Ryder or Penske. These companies have already converted their equipment to Smartway standards and have a wide range of tractors and trailers ready to haul your load.

For those of you who run often into California, compliance may be your only option. But one thing is certain: if continued regulations threaten to eat further into the profit margins of truckers and trucking companies, the highways leading into California will be very empty. And as far as I'm concerned, an empty highway has almost no rolling resistance.

For Your Information

If you want more information on CARB, feel free to visit http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/truckstop/truckstop.htm and try to decipher the regulations for yourself. It might take you a while.

For a more succinct description of these new laws, read the following article.

http://times247.com/articles/23calif-regulations-forcing-trucks-off-the-road9

Safe travels to you on America's highways.