A requirement under the Clean Truck Check program has been pushed back. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is delaying the smog check component of the program for an additional six months. The enforcement deadline for mandatory testing was originally set to begin July 1, 2024.
“For some reason, the program is not ready to go yet. So, truck and fleet owners don’t have to worry about getting their trucks smogged until at least January of 2025,” said Paul Sousa, Director of Environmental and Regulatory Affairs for Western United Dairies. “However, there are a couple of deadlines that have passed and continue to be there for this rule and those deadlines do stick.”
While the testing requirement has been delayed, the registration requirement remains in effect. As of January 31, 2024, vehicles must be entered into the CARB database. Proof of compliance is required for all covered vehicles. Compliance is enforced through vehicle registration with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Enforcement of the database registration requirement has already begun.
“If you have not met that January 31 deadline, they are putting registration holds on those trucks in 2024,” Sousa explained. “If you haven’t done that and you get your registration in the mail from DMV and it says you’re not eligible to renew the registration on this truck because of a CARB hold, it would be because you didn’t put it in the database and pay the $30 fee. So that needs to happen. But a little bit of a reprieve on the actual smog testing.”
Once that phase of the Clean Truck Check program comes into effect, agricultural vehicles will need to be tested once per year. The rule applies to nearly all heavy-duty vehicles that exceed 14,000 pounds and are powered by diesel and alternative fuels.
Brian German
Ag News Director / AgNet West