TRU (reefer) owners — If you missed the August 31st deadline for ordering new replacement engines for model year 2006 Transport Refrigeration Units (TRU) or new replacement TRUs, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) recommends that you take immediate action to order Level 3 verified diesel particulate filters for retrofitting your engines by the end of 2013.
Model year 2006 TRU and TRU generator set engines must comply with the TRU Regulation’s in-use performance standards by December 31, 2013. At this point in time, it may be too late to place orders for replacement engines or replacement units for delivery and installation by the December 31, 2013 compliance deadline. In accordance with the TRU Regulation, orders for replacement engines and units that are placed after August 31st will NOT be eligible for compliance extensions if delivery or installation will be completed after December 31st, 2013.
However, if model year 2006 owners order verified diesel emissions control strategies (VDECS), such as Level 3 diesel particulate filters, by the end of October, installation by the end of 2013 is most likely possible. Furthermore, if you order a Level 3 VDECS before October 31st and delivery or installation is delayed so that you can’t comply by the end of 2013, you may qualify for a compliance deadline extension.
To qualify for this extension, the following conditions must be met:
- Purchase orders for Level 3 VDECS must be placed by October 31st
- The TRU must be registered in ARB’s Equipment Registration (ARBER) system
- An application for extension must be submitted to ARB with the required documentation by December 31st
Owners that place orders for Level 3 VDECS after October 31st will NOT qualify for this compliance extension if they discover they cannot comply by December 31st due to delays in delivery or installation.
Also, California law now requires freight brokers, forwarders, shippers, and receivers to only hire and dispatch TRU-equipped trucks, trailers, shipping containers, and railcars that are compliant with the in-use performance standards if the perishable load will travel on California highways or railways. All model year 2005 and older TRUs and TRU generator sets must now be in compliance with the in-use performance standards to be legally hired to transport perishable goods on California highways or railways. Motor carriers need to be able to show the business entity that hires the carrier that they have compliant equipment.
Please take steps now to make sure you are ready to show the hiring business entity that you are compliant. Please review ARB’s “Guidance for Brokers, Forwarders, Shippers, Receivers, Carriers and Drivers:
Hiring and Contracting TRU-Carrier Transport of Perishable Goods on California Highways and Railways” at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/guidance_broker-shipper-receiver.pdf
TRU generator set owners and operators should also review ARB’s “Q&A for TRU Gensets” at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/documents/q&a_tru_gensets.pdf
For general information about the TRU Regulation and VDECS information, the TRU Website is at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/tru.htm
Scroll down toward the end of the webpage for Level 3 VDECS information.
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
TRU Advisories are listed at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/diesel/tru/advisories.htm
TRU Compliance extension applications are at: http://www.arb.ca.gov/arber/trureg/truextensions.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.