By Paul Sousa, Director of Regulatory and Environmental Affairs

This a reminder that if you own heavy-duty diesel trucks that are older than about 12 years, reporting may be required starting this year. This applies to diesel trucks, such as Ford F450, Chevy, and Dodge 4500 and larger. This does not apply to pickups. Reporting has been required for diesel trucks that would not otherwise be in compliance with the Air Resources Board’s Truck Rule, for example, using one of the Agricultural Extensions. This year another group of trucks will drop out of compliance and will require reporting, which are trucks with 2007 to 2009 model year diesel engines. Note that the model year of the engine does not necessarily match the model year of the truck. In most cases, the engine is one model year older than the truck.

In addition to the above, the Agricultural Extensions are going away, limiting the options to keep older trucks on the road. The Low Use Exemption will continue, which is limited to 1,000 annual miles, and a NOx Exemption is also available for trucks that only operate in the northern third of the state and already have a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) installed.

If you have reported to ARB in the past, I can help you address this year’s changes. If you have not reported to ARB in the past, this year may be different, particularly if you own a 2007 to 2010 truck. Noncompliant trucks will not be eligible for DMV registration. The reporting deadline is January 31. If you have questions on how to report or what options you have available, please reach out to me at [email protected] or call the WUD office.